San Mateo County Birding Guide by Sequoia Audubon Society - Printed on October 30, 2026
Upper La Honda Open Space Preserve (OSP) can only be accessed with an (easy to obtain) permit. It is worth it. The views are spectacular, and the trails cover a diversity of habitats in a short time. The Cielo Trail is largely through grasslands to the west, with an elegant mixed woodlands in the southern section. The larger loop, starting at the Coho Vista Loop Trail takes you through open grassland, mixed forest and coast Redwood.
The publicly accessible Lower La Honda OSP is one of the best new birding destinations in the county, because of its unique grassland and farming habitat in proximity to oak, conifer, and redwood forests. It opened to the public in November of 2017. The main hiking route - Harrington Creek Trail - is accessible from the parking lot at the end of Sears Ranch Road in La Honda. This trail takes you through open country that is excellent for sparrows at all times of year. The open slopes of grassland provide habitat for raptors, especially in winter. This site has proven to be a regular location for Ferruginous Hawk, always a scarce bird in the county. It has been noted every year since the park opened, and there is even documentation for some earlier years! Burrowing Owl has also been seen along these hills. Any confirmed sighting of this imperiled bird is valuable.
The first major landmark along the trail is the old ranch site. This area has been the location for nesting Western Kingbirds - a remarkably unusual breeder in the county - and regular occurrences of Lark Sparrow and Lazuli Bunting. In 2021 there were Lawrence's Goldfinches possibly breeding here, too, as well as American Kestrel. The old ranch has quickly become one of the rarity hotspots of the county. Remember, though, that it is CRUCIAL to practice upstanding BIRDING ETHICS here: DO NOT DISTURB NESTING BIRDS! DO NOT USE PLAYBACK DURING BREEDING SEASON!
The birding past the ranch is not as spectacular for rarities, but the mixture of habitats allows for constant surprises and discoveries. Continuing past the ranch, you turn to the west, going gently downhill to the eponymous Harrington Creek. Past the creek itself, there are some moist areas of seasonal wetlands. When the trail turns southward, a long loop trail offers itself - the Folger Ranch Loop. This is a westward spur from the Harrington Creek Trail; it reconnects at the spot where public access ends. The area beyond is only accessible with a permit.
Currently there is no loop to reconnect you to the parking lot; this is an out-and-back park. However, there are new trails under development, including a handicapped accessible one near the initial trailhead. Stay tuned for the hope of a completed loop on the Harrington Creek Trail.
Some currently inaccessible farm ponds are visible from the trail at Lower La Honda OSP. While your author does not recommend carrying a scope for the length of the trail, you can scan for waterfowl in the pond downslope and to the west of the parking lot; doing this can add numerous species to your day list.
The long-term future for this park will include other trails opening, perhaps even connecting these Upper and Lower sections. It is the hope of this author that more birders will explore the length and breadth of both sections, and get involved with the Open Space District in order to facilitate birding in this rich expanse of diverse habitats.
Lower La Honda:
Canada Goose, Blue-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Mallard, Green-winged Teal, Canvasback, Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, Ruddy Duck, California Quail, Wild Turkey, Pied-billed Grebe, Eared Grebe, Rock Pigeon, Band-tailed Pigeon, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Mourning Dove, White-throated Swift, Vaux's Swift, Anna's Hummingbird, Allen's Hummingbird, Sora, American Coot, Killdeer, Wilson's Snipe, Western Gull (uncommon flyover), California Gull (uncommon flyover), Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Green Heron, Black-crowned Night-heron, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, White-tailed Kite, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Bald Eagle, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Barn Owl, Western Screech-Owl, Great Horned Owl, Northern Pygmy-Owl, Belted Kingfisher, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Acorn Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Nuttall's Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker (scarce here), Northern Flicker, American Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Western Wood-Pewee, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Black Phoebe, Say's Phoebe (unusual summer sighting 2018), Ash-throated Flycatcher, Hutton's Vireo, Cassin's Vireo (unusual here), Warbling Vireo, Steller's Jay, California Scrub-Jay, American Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Oak Titmouse, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Tree Swallow, Violet-green Swallow, Barn Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Bushtit, Wrentit, Golden-crowned Kinglet (rare here), Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Red-breasted Nuthatch (rare here), White-breasted Nuthatch, Pygmy Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, House Wren, Pacific Wren, Marsh Wren (rare and/or inaccessible here), Bewick's Wren, European Starling, California Thrasher, Northern Mockingbird (uncommon here), Western Bluebird, Varied Thrush (uncommon here), Swainson's Thrush, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, House Sparrow, American Pipit, House Finch, Purple Finch, Red Crossbill, Pine Siskin, Lesser Goldfinch, American Goldfinch, Grasshopper Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, California Towhee, Spotted Towhee, Western Meadowlark, Bullock's Oriole, Red-winged Blackbird, Tricolored Blackbird (unusual here), Brown-headed Cowbird, Brewer's Blackbird, Orange-crowned Warbler, MacGillivray's Warbler, Common Yellowthroat (scarce and/or inaccessible here), Yellow Warbler (migration), Black-throated Gray Warbler, Townsend's Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Western Tanager, Black-headed Grosbeak, Lazuli Bunting
Upper La Honda:
California Quail, Wild Turkey, Band-tailed Pigeon, Mourning Dove, White-throated Swift, Anna's Hummingbird, Allen's Hummingbird, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, White-tailed Kite, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Acorn Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, American Kestrel (watch for evidence of breeding), Peregrine Falcon, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Black Phoebe, Say's Phoebe, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Hutton's Vireo, Cassin's Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Steller's Jay, California Scrub-Jay, American Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Oak Titmouse, Violet-green Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Bushtit, Wrentit, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Pygmy Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, House Wren, Pacific Wren, Bewick's Wren, California Thrasher, Western Bluebird, Varied Thrush, Swainson's Thrush, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, House Finch, Purple Finch, Red Crossbill, Lesser Goldfinch, Grasshopper Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, Song Sparrow, California Towhee, Spotted Towhee, Red-winged Blackbird, Orange-crowned Warbler, MacGillivray's Warbler (unusual here), Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Townsend's Warbler, Hermit Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Western Tanager, Black-headed Grosbeak, Lazuli Bunting
In this guide, "rarities" are defined as those species given an County Abundance Code of 4, 5, or 6.
Lower La Honda:
Cackling Goose (2020), Golden Eagle (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021), Ferruginous Hawk (2010, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021), Burrowing Owl (2018), Prairie Falcon (2018), Western Kingbird (2018, nesting 2020, 2021, 2022), Loggerhead Shrike (2018, 2020, 2021), Lawrence's Goldfinch (2018, 2020, 2021), Chipping Sparrow (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021), Clay-colored Sparrow (2018, 2022), Lark Sparrow (1969, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022), White-throated Sparrow (2018), Vesper Sparrow (2017, 2018, 2020), Green-tailed Towhee (2018), Palm Warbler (2018)
Upper La Honda:
Golden Eagle (2018, 2020), Lawrence's Goldfinch (2018), Chipping Sparrow (2018), Indigo Bunting (2013)
