Summer
Fall 
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Carter Park, Half Moon Bay, August 2011 (Jennifer Rycenga)
This entry describes Pilarcitos Creek access as the creek winds through downtown Half Moon Bay, before it crosses under SR1. Later portions of this creek are covered in Pilarcitos Creek Access at Strawflower Plaza, Half Moon Bay Sewer Authority, and Pilarcitos Creek Mouth entries. Some sections of Pilarcitos Creek further to the east are covered in the Mills Creek Open Space Preserve entry, but these areas are not always accessible by foot.
There are places that are birding destinations. This is not one of them. This is a location that is more of a happy accident for a birder than a place to go for a day of birding. When visiting Half Moon Bay, it is entirely possible that you will be with someone who is not a birder, but would prefer to sip coffee, or shop the boutiques downtown. You can duck out for a minute to bird, and find yourself amidst a rich riparian zone with good sight lines to the creek. That is this author's definition of a happy birding accident. Seriously, though, if birding intensively is your goal, there are many better places in Half Moon Bay than this.
Your best parking area/starting point is the parking area for Stone Creek Plaza (there is a gym, Japanese, Thai and Chinese restaurants and a coffee place here), near the north end of Main Street in Half Moon Bay. This is less than a block from the intersection of Main and SR92. The purported centerpiece of the area, John L. Carter Park, is at the creek level, but there are almost no good views of the riparian or the creek from within it. Furthermore, the creek area is a favored hangout for the coastside's small homeless population. While it may be worth a walk down to the grassy area to look at the statue of the giant pumpkin farmer, your better birding prospects are along the paved sidewalk on the north side of the stream. The riparian has some thinner areas here, and pishing happens so rarely that birds respond to it like students at a boarding school upon hearing the dinner bell. Warblers, chickadees, and Bushtits are your most likely respondents. Anna's Hummingbirds are common, too. (One more note: John L. Carter Park was previously named Pilarcitos Creek Park; this name sometimes still appears on internet map programs. John L. Carter (1899-1991) helped organize the city of Half Moon Bay.)
The bridge on Main Street that crosses the creek has great sight lines into the riparian and the water, on both sides of the street. It is possible to pish up birds here, and to glimpse rarities in migration. The bridge, though, is much used by downtown visitors and pedestrians. But you are in no danger from passing cars, as the pedestrian side is protected from traffic. This bridge is the oldest concrete bridge in San Mateo county, having been constructed in 1900.
Creative use of parking lots and back lawns can bring you to other riparian spots. The largest such area requires you to walk almost back to SR92, then west a tad. Past the commercial buildings, you will see an extensive grassy area, with a paved path hugging the area between the grasses and the riparian. A resident Red-shouldered Hawk uses the telephone poles here, and blackbird flocks in the grass can contain Western Meadowlarks as well as Red-winged and Brewer's Blackbirds. This area extends to SR1; the other side of SR1 is treated in the Pilarcitos Creek Access at Strawflower Plaza, which has a better record for generating rarities than the downtown area.
Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Killdeer, California Gull, Western Gull, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Anna's Hummingbird, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Black Phoebe, Warbling Vireo, Western Scrub-Jay, American Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bushtit, Bewick's Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Swainson's Thrush, American Robin, European Starling, Orange-crowned Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Yellow Warbler, California Towhee, California Towhee, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Western Meadowlark, Brown-headed Cowbird, Brewer's Blackbird, House Finch, American Goldfinch, House Sparrow
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!
From SR 92, turn south onto Main Street in Half Moon Bay. At the first stop sign, turn left onto Stone Pine Road, then right into the first shopping plaza (Stone Pine Center). Park in the back row of spaces; the sign for Carter Park should be obvious.
Red Markers: Parking Area or Trail Head
Hover mouse pointer over marker, or click marker, for pin identification.
Use + or - buttons to change map zoom. Click & Drag to pan.
Use of Carter Park is free.
Sunrise to 9:00 pm officially
Half Moon Bay's small homeless population can be encountered along the Pilarcitos Creek. Traffic into Half Moon Bay becomes the stuff of nightmares and horrifying legends around Pumpkin Festival (October). It is best to avoid weekend travel at that time. Be careful when crossing Main Street. Don't overeat at the good restaurants at Stone Creek Plaza!
For food, beverages and supplies, you are in the middle of the town's business district. There is a public restroom at Main and Kelly, and most of the restaurants have restrooms, too. There are picnic benches behind Pasta Moon, but how to gain access to them is not clear.
Accessibility information is currently not available for this location.
The Half Moon Bay Recreation Department can be contacted at 650-802-4382.
A hot spot for Carter Park (Pilarcitos Creek downtown HMB)" was established in eBird in 2011. So far it has data in 28 of 48 time quadrants, representing 72 species: not bad for a pocket park in a busy downtown area! Remember, for a spot like this, it only takes five-ten minutes to generate an interesting list. Help a fledgling hotspot to get stronger.
The iNaturalist place marker was just launched in May of 2020, so it needs more data!
Young Western Gull reflects upon the mysteries of life, commerce, and refuse, near Carter Park, Half Moon Bay, August 2011 (Jennifer Rycenga)
Statue of Pumpkin Grower, in John L. Carter Park, Half Moon Bay, August 2011 (Jennifer Rycenga)
A young Wilson's Warbler peaks out from the riparian, John L. Carter Park, Half Moon Bay, August 2011. (Jennifer Rycenga)
Looking into Pilarcitos Creek from the east side of the bridge over Main Street, Half Moon Bay, August 2011 (Jennifer Rycenga)
Riparian and creek, looking into Pilarcitos Creek from the west side of the bridge over Main Street, Half Moon Bay, August 2011 (Jennifer Rycenga)
Author: Jennifer Rycenga
Uploaded:
August 21, 2011
Last Update:
May 11, 2020 9:42am
All content ©Sequoia Audubon Society and others
No use without written permission
