A practical guide to bird watching in Sonoma County, California
(Unless otherwise indicated, all phone numbers are in the 707 area code)
Smith Brothers Rd., Bodega Bay, CA 94923
Location aliases: Not sufficiently on the local bird-watching radar to have nicknames. The sign off the highway reads "Smith Bros. Rd."
Location: Smith Brothers Rd. Bodega Bay, CA 94923
GPS address: 529 Smith Bros Rd.
GPS Coordinates: 38 19 24N, 123 02 18W
Tide information: See the NOAA Tides & Currents page for Bodega Harbor
Typical Species: Brant, Killdeer, Willet, Black Turnstone, Ruddy Turnstone, Double-crested Cormorant, Western Gull, pied-billed Grebe, Marbled Godwit, Brown Pelican, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Western Sandpiper. Look for sparrows and finches in the bushes and undergrowth on the hillside in front of you and below.
More unusual birds, sightings: I have seen flocks of hundreds of Brant from this vantage point in the winter and unusually large concentrations of egrets on the mud flats to the left in the photo (these are considerably more extensive at low tide).
Restroom facilities: Lucas Wharf and further up the road at Tides Wharf.
Restaurants Nearby: See the Bodega Bay Overview page for restaurant recommendations.
Nearby attractions: See the Bodega Bay Overview page for details.
Related bird watching spots: Adjacent to the Tides Wharf area and other birding spots. See the Bodega Bay Overview page for details.
Notes: Don't park immediately around the south corner. Pull up toward the Bodega Coast Inn Lobby sign (the sign with the stylized bird in the photo) or park beyond that sign. Cars come around the corner quickly here, often without looking. There have been many rear-endings just around this curve, as cars can't see well around it and drivers are too stupid to slow down.
All photos by the author, unless otherwise indicated
Maps by Google Maps
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© Colin Talcroft, 2009, 2010, 2011.
Unless noted, all photos by the author. If you would like to use one of my images, please ask for permission for non-commercial use with proper credit or commercial use with proper compensation.