Santa Rosa Creek at Willowside Road

The Santa Rosa (Flood Control Channel) Creek, where it intersects with Willowside Road in western Santa Rosa offers a wide variety of birds at all times of the year. Unpaved, level paths along the southern edge of the creek are open to public foot traffic both west and east of Willowside Road. Although many local birders walk here alone, common sense dictates that there is safety in numbers when in unfamiliar territory.

Walking to the west, there is riparian growth on both sides of the path, and frequent views into the channelized stream bed. The graveled path turns to dirt (read "some mud after recent rains") about 1/4 mile in. Soon there is more open area to the south, with views over the fields. About 1/2 mile from Willowside Road the formal path ends at "Delta Pond", a Santa Rosa waste-water storage pond closed to the public. You may get a look though the chain link fence into the pond if you are lucky. An informal trail (not recommended) continues another 1/2 mile along the creek to the Laguna de Santa Rosa, a historical wetland that stores, and eventually discharges excess water into the Russian River.

Walking to the east from Willowside Road along the graveled trail there is riparian growth on both sides of the path with views into the creek and the trees and fields to the south. About one mile from Willowside Road there are farm ponds to the south of the path. Water fowl and shorebirds may gather here. The path continues through to the east for another mile to Fulton Road.

AT ALL TIMES OF THE YEAR AND IN WINTER look for waterfowl, egrets and herons on the creek, woodpeckers in the trees, Belted Kingfishers, Song (and other) Sparrows and towhees in the brush, and raptors (White-tailed Kites, Red-tailed Hawks, Red-shouldered Hawks, Northern Harriers, Accipitors) in the trees and over the fields.

IN SPRING AND SUMMER look for Neo-tropical migrants returning from thir wintering grounds in Mexico, Central America and points south. Common Yellowthroats and Yellow-breasted Chats nest here (especially west of the road).You can also see other warblers, swallows, Swainson's Thrushes, and flycatchers. (Black berries are best about mid August!)

IN FALL look for all of the above birds plus migrants, either expected, as the Willow Flycatcher or Western Tanager, or unexpected.

How to Get There
Take the Guerneville Road/Steele Lane Exit off of Highway 101, and proceed west on Guerneville Road about 5 miles to Willowside Road. Turn left (south) on Willowside and travel about 2/3 mile to the bridge over the creek. Park on either side of the road, but not in front of the gates, please. Be sure to lock your car and take your valuables with you.