The first 1.0 to 1.5 miles of this old railroad grade has a variety of vegetative communities. This leads to a good variety of the birds that are adapted to the 4300ft elevation. At least 90 species have been spotted on the first mile during the past eight years. These include woodpeckers, warblers, flycatchers, sparrows, raptors and vireos. Such interesting birds as Band-tailed Pigeon, Mountain Quail, Northern Pygmy-Owl, Mountain & Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Winter Wren, Townsend's Solitaire, Varied Thrush, Cedar Waxwing, Western Tanager, Black-headed Grosbeak, Bullock's & Hooded Orioles and Cassin's and Purple Finches may be spotted in season. This site provides a very nice 1.5 to 2.5 hour, 2 mile birding walk.

To get there turn north off St.Rte.108 onto Confidence/ South Fork Rd. just in front of the Confidence Inn. Proceed about 2mi., up, over a ridge to Middlecamp Rd. Jog west (left) about 100 yds. Turn north (right) and park anywhere you can find a place. The trail is a gated forest road that leads east, starting about 50 yds. from Middlecamp Rd.

Penelope Bowen has an excellent page describing many birding areas in Calaveras County.
Her page also has links to other pages, including the following:
Calaveras County Bird List
Calaveras Big Trees State Park Bird List
Alpine County Bird List
Alpine County Birdingsites

www.centralsierraaudubon.org

Webpage Concerns Contact: csasbird@sonnet.com

Last Update: 27 October 2002