Peanuts In My Pocket

On Wednesday, I took a quick local birding trip to the confluence of Coyote Creek and Fullerton Creek. The area is accessible via the bike path near the Walker Street Bridge over Coyote Creek. It doesn’t exactly feel safe, though I’ve never had any problems. Caution is wise; bring a birding buddy if you have doubts. In my six visits, I’ve only seen bikers and joggers on the path, along with a small homeless camp across the creek. For the record, there are no trolls living under the bridge.

Here’s the Google Maps location if you’re interested.

The truth is, there’s no polite way to say this, the place is ugly. Its only beauty comes from the birds. Yet somehow, I’m drawn to it. I’ve always appreciated the darker side of urbanism. Years ago, I often photographed urban decay, so this spot fits right in.

Despite its rough appearance, some remarkable birds call this place home. Black-necked Stilts are a constant presence, often in impressive numbers. On this trip I counted eight, a bit below the usual dozen. I suspect they’re nesting nearby; I’ve watched them raise chicks over the past few months. For comparison, I’m lucky to see even one or two stilts during a trip to Bolsa Chica Wetlands in Huntington Beach.

I stopped here because school has started again, and I drive over the bridge daily as part of my grandpa duties. The day before, I spotted a couple of large birds, so I returned in the morning and found a Snowy Egret and a Great Blue Heron, both unusual sightings for this spot. In all, I recorded nine species, including Killdeer and Least Sandpipers.

You can view my full eBird checklist for this trip.

I arrived around 9:00 a.m. when it was already over 80 degrees and the sun was intense. Afternoon visits would have been unbearable. Shooting into the sun is the only option in the morning since the opposite walkway has a small, unsafe-looking homeless camp. I always choose safety, otherwise, my wife would give me grief. To be clear, I’ve never actually felt unsafe here, unless I were to do something unwise, like trying to walk down into the riverbed.

What birding is teaching me is that sometimes you’ve got to “risk it for the biscuit.” You need the confidence to stop the car and explore places that might feel uncomfortable. Once you get past the initial hesitation, you can relax and enjoy the experience. I photograph both birds and urban details, often trying to create my own version of art from found items and locations. When prepared, the risks are low, but the rewards can be surprisingly high.

I’ve also thought about exploring the entire Coyote Creek bike path, but I’d need an eBike for that. The Coyote Creek Bikeway runs 12 miles, stretching from the San Gabriel River Trail in Long Beach up to Foster Road in Santa Fe Springs, passing Cerritos along the way. I’ve explored the lower portion extensively in different stages of my life, but doing the whole 24-mile round trip now would be tough without some electric assistance. Of course, I’m also looking for an excuse to buy an eBike anyway…