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Description
Arrowhead Marsh includes a small park surrounded by bay waterways and marshland, near Oakland International Airport. There's a boardwalk out into the marsh and a network of trails with several footbridges leading to adjacent shoreline areas. Rarities are frequently reported here. One of the easiest places in the East Bay to see and hear Ridgway's Rail and Sora at high tide, plus a variety of shorebirds such as Long-billed Dowitcher, Dunlin , Black Turnstone, American Avocet, Black Stilt ,Long-billed Curlew and Marbled Godwit.
Wetland species like Marsh Wren, Belted Kingfisher and Common Yellowthroat are common in season. Waterbirds such as Lesser Scaup, Barrow's Goldeneye, Bufflehead, American Wigeon, Eurasian Wigeon, Surf Scoter, Green-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Western Grebe, Clark's Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, and others are easy to view in the right season. One of the few dependable places to find Blue-winged Teal in the East Bay.
The best place to find Barrow's Goldeneye here is in the inlet on the Southwest (airport) side, viewing from Doolittle Drive, which follows the West side of the inlet. To get there, you can park in the parking lot near the South end of the entrance drive to Arrowhead Marsh (on your left soon after entering the gates), then follow the path from the parking lot to the Southwest. In the past, this species has been seen near the Watermelon rock (a round piece of concrete painted like a watermelon - and local landmark), viewed from the concrete pier / viewing platform at the Southwestern end of the inlet. But when present, they can be anywhere in the inlet, often mixed in with Common Goldeneye.
A flock of Canada Goose frequents the grassy areas, with others like Cackling Goose , Snow Goose Greater White-fronted Goose and a resident Brant (Black) sometimes mixed in. A variety of land birds frequents the park vegetation including Hermit Thrush, Golden-crowned Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, California Towhee, Lincoln's Sparrow, Orange-crowned Warbler, Bushtit, Barn Swallow , Yellow-rumped Warbler and more.
The grassy and scrub vegetation is good for Western Meadowlark and American Pipit. A large variety of gull and tern species including Glaucous-winged Gull, Western Gull, Ring-billed Gull, California Gull, Short-billed Gull, Iceland Gull, Forster's Tern and Least Tern can be seen, as well as raptors like Northern Harrier, Red-shouldered Hawk, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon and Bald Eagle.
Rarities (from locally rare birds to birds that are rare in California or the western US) reported here in the past include: Ruff, Nelson's Sparrow, Tropical Kingbird, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Red-throated Pipit, Rock Wren, Swamp Sparrow, Clay-colored Sparrow, Palm Warbler, American Redstart, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Yellow Rail, Tufted Duck, Pacific Golden Plover, Red-necked Grebe, Pectoral Sandpiper, Short-eared Owl and Prairie Falcon.
Details
Access
Car access is via a gated entrance road leading to several parking areas. Park at the end to access the trails and boardwalk. Click on the P in the map for directions or coordinates. Park gate is open 8am to 5pm, though the gates are sometimes opened as early as 7:30 am. Bathrooms and a picnic area are available.
IMPORTANT: as with all birding locations in the bay area, don't leave valuables in your car. Avoid leaving rucksacks / backpacks, purses or other bags in view through the car window. Keep expensive cameras concealed inside a backpack until you're away from the parking areas - as on a few occasions, thieves have preyed on people with large cameras standing right next to the road.
Terrain and Habitat
Wetland , Mud flats , Sea , Grassland , Scattered trees and bushes , City/village , ReedbedsConditions
Flat , Wet , Open landscapeCircular trail
YesIs a telescope useful?
Can be usefulGood birding season
Winter , Spring , AutumnBest time to visit
Winter , Autumn migration , Spring migrationRoute
Paved road , Wide pathDifficulty walking trail
EasyAccessible by
Foot , Bicycle , Car , WheelchairBirdwatching hide / platform
YesLinks
- EBird hotspot link
- Tides Table
- Photo of Willets and Marbled Godwits at Arrowhead Marsh by Ingrid Taylar, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons