San Mateo County Birding Guide by Sequoia Audubon Society - Printed on October 30, 2026
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Arguello Park is a hidden gem. Don't be put off by the baseball field and the little league crowds - there's much more to this park. The hills surrounding the baseball diamond provide snatches of typical California habitats in a compressed area, and a similarly good sampling of local birds. The avian star here is the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher; other interesting species include California Thrasher, Nuttall's Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, and the possibility of migrant passerines along the stream.
The habitats here are similar to Eaton Park. Most of it is mixed woodland with oaks predominating, but there are excellent open areas, and the topography can provide opportunities for treetop viewing. Bicyclists and dog-walkers use the trails, too. Because some spots with casual trails can be a bit steep and slippery, your authors recommend carrying a walking stick if you feel less than confident about your downhill balance.
The backbone of the park is the trail that begins at the east end of Sheldon Avenue. This trail is well-graded with great views and a variety of habitats. The diverse plant communities along the Sheldon Avenue trail include conifer, oak, and sage in a short span. Short trails - some official, some more ad hoc - branch off from Sheldon. The best route, though, is to take the short switchback trail by an old Olive grove, which lands you near the ballfield and the tennis courts.
Parking can be a problem on weekends in the main lot off Wellington. The subsidiary lot at the end of Phelps Road (past Arundel Elementary School, and by the Tennis Courts), often has more room. The trail that goes north from the tennis courts parallels the small seasonal creek bed, and is one of the more productive bird areas in the park. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers can be found on the trail leading up from the Wellington parking lot, where the trees are younger and shorter.
There is a far northern tip to the park, which can be accessed along Dartmouth, Northam, and Highland Avenues. The views from up here are spectacular, and there are benches strategically placed to allow revelling in that scenery. This area too has a number of habitats, tightly squeezed into the surrounding neighborhood. On-street parking is available, but limited: these avenues are narrow. The upper section is about 125 feet more elevated than the Sheldon Avenue trail.
To mitigate fire danger, San Carlos has authorized the use of goats to eat through vegetation and underbrush. When the goats are in the park, an electronic fence is placed around their area, and they are under the watch of a goat-herder and Livestock Guard-Dogs (LGD). Be polite to these workers, both human and canine, but do not disturb them in their duties.
Rock Pigeon, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Mourning Dove, Anna's Hummingbird, California Gull (flyovers), Turkey Vulture, Northern Harrier, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Western Screech-Owl, Great Horned Owl, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Acorn Woodpecker, Nuttall's Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Black Phoebe, Hutton's Vireo, California Scrub-Jay, American Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Oak Titmouse, Tree Swallow, Bushtit, Wrentit, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, White-breasted Nuthatch, Pygmy Nuthatch, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Bewick's Wren, European Starling, Northern Mockingbird, California Thrasher, Western Bluebird, Hermit Thrush, Varied Thrush (uncommon at this location), American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, House Finch, American Goldfinch, Lesser Goldfinch, Fox Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, California Towhee, Spotted Towhee, Hooded Oriole, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Townsend's Warbler, Western Tanager, Black-headed Grosbeak
In this guide, "rarities" are defined as those species given an County Abundance Code of 4, 5, or 6.
Be the first to find one!
The official address of the park is 260 Wellington Drive, San Carlos. From El Camino Real, take San Carlos Boulevard west, then turn right on Wellington Drive. Be sure to enter where you see the entrance sign; Google maps will sometimes lead you to the Phelps Drive parking or the "exit-only" area from the Wellington Drive parking.
There are no fees connected with use of this park
Daylight
While the usual dangers of our local elevated zones - ticks, Mountain Lions, poison oak - are possible here, the small size of the park and its regular use by families and children, mitigate against these dangers being rampant.
As noted elsewhere, some of the trails are steep and slippery, so a walking stick is recommended for the adventurous who don't quite trust their sense of balance.
When the goats are in the park, the fence surrounding them is electrified - don't touch! The Livestock Guard-Dogs present at that time are on duty, and should not be disturbed, approached, or played with: they are Working Dogs!
This is a well-appointed park. The restroom, located by the ball field, has flush toilets; there are also porta-potties near the tennis courts. Picnic tables are scattered near the ballfield, too. A playground and the Bob and Linda Cook Family Snack Shack are contiguous to the field, too.
Official City Website: cityofsancarlos.org
650-802-4382
The eBird hotspot for Arguello Park is severely underpopulated, with 54 species observed in 18 of 48 time quadrants.
Arguello Park is a location in iNaturalist, and also the name of a collection project started by co-author Cynthia Clark. The project has already documented over 200 species across all taxa in the park. Add to the effort!
Author: Cynthia Clark, Bill Holland, and Jennifer Rycenga, Uploaded: