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Description
Landfill loop, which encircles a dump / landfill, and is adjacent to a waste water treatment plant, is not the most romantic birding location - and yet offers exceptional birding, especially in Fall through early Spring.
One of the biggest attractions of this site are the thousands of gulls, which can be seen overhead and perched on the the landfill transfer station buildings. The best gull viewing is on the protected inlet on the West side, where hundreds to thousands of gulls often float on the water to rest after feeding, from late morning through the afternoon. In addition to the common gull species, less common Bay Area species like Iceland Gull (Thayer's) and European Herring Gull are relatively easy to see here. In addition, rare species like Slaty-backed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Glaucous Gull have been reported here, along with rare hybrids like Glaucous Gull x Glaucous-winged Gull and others.
This site hosts large numbers of ducks on the sloughs along the South side and open water to the West (including American Wigeon, Eurasian Wigeon, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Blue-winged Teal, Bufflehead, Canvasback, Common Goldeneye, Ruddy Duck, Surf Scoter, Greater Scaup and Lesser Scaup). Canada Goose flocks are abundant and less common geese such as Greater White-fronted Goose, Snow Goose and Cackling Goose are occasionally seen.
In the marsh and muddy areas along the southern and northern edges, a variety of wading birds can be observed, such as: American Avocet, Black-necked Stilt, Dunlin, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Black-bellied Plover, Wilson's Snipe and others. A number of open marsh and grassland species can also be seen, such as large numbers of wintering Western Meadowlarks, plus American Pipit, large numbers of Common Ravens, Red-winged Blackbird, Say's Phoebe, Black Phoebe, Northern Harrier, Common Yellowthroat, White-tailed Kite, Marsh Wren, Song Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow and others.
Along the trail from the east side of the Landfill Loop parking lot along the sewage treatment plant, towards the Wildcat Marsh Trailhead, be sure to climb the grassy dike surrounding the 2-3 southern most retention ponds, which often host a variety of ducks, gulls and others (with often some different species from those found elsewhere along the landfill loop. Wildcat Marsh trailhead area is also a good spot for Hooded Orioles in late Spring through early Fall (watch for them around the palm trees on the southern edge of Wildcat Creek, and watch/listen for them in bushes and trees along the path). The trail from Landfill Loop to Wildcat Marsh Trailhead is also good for a variety of swallow species (including Cliff Swallow, Barn Swallow, Violet-green Swallow and Northern Rough-winged Swallow.
Rare and uncommon birds found here in the past have included: Lesser Yellowlegs, Baird's Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Loggerhead Shrike, Rock Wren, Sage Thrasher, Lapland Longspur, Grasshopper Sparrow, Clay-colored Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow and Palm Warbler (see also rare gulls mentioned previously).
Despite the location and it's proximity to an oil refinery to the south and sewage treatment plant to the east, the views from the southwest, northwest and western edges of the loop can be quite pretty. The parking area along the water treatment plant and occasionally other areas can be smelly, depending on the wind direction, but this is generally limited in area and doesn't greatly impact the experience.
Details
Access
The site is open Monday through Saturday (except certain holidays), with the entrance gate and trailhead gates open at 9am (though the security guard may sometimes open the entrance gate 10-15 minutes early).
Driving and Parking: this site can be reached via Richmond Parkway (from highways 80 or 580), following signs to the West Contra Costa Sanitary Landfill via Parr Boulevard. Parking is to the left as you head towardst the landfill, just before the weigh station. As always in the East Bay, do not leave valuables in your vehicle, and be sure not to leave backpacks / rucksacks visible through the windows. The separate Wildcat Marsh Trailhead parking area (to the South of this site) can be prone to vehicle break-ins.
Trails: a gate on the South side, near some eucalyptus trees leads to the main landfill loop trail, with the loop ending across the road on the north side, near the weigh station. An additional trail, starting a short way to the East of the Landfill Loop parking lot, leads around a solar panel installation and along the side of the sewage treatment plant, leading to the Wildcat Marsh Trailhead.
The main loop can be birded in 3 to 4 relaxed hours, depending upon your pace, and how long you plan to spend watching ducks or gulls.