Birding At the Site
En route to this site, just beyond the intersection where Hwy 88 turns left off Hwy 12, and on the right-hand side of the road, is a seasonal pond that sometimes has a variety of water birds. A scope is recommended. Birds seen here include Ring-necked Duck, American Wigeon, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, and others. There may also be an occasional Common Gallinule. Don’t neglect the trees on both sides of the highway, since many birds, goldfinches, and bluebirds for example, sometimes fly in. Be careful, as traffic can be quite heavy along here.

Continuing east on Hwy 12, watch for flying hawks and nesting Ospreys. Red-tailed and Red-shouldered hawks seem to be regular. You can either turn S on Johnson Rd, to Acampo Rd, to Cord Rd, and back to Hwy 12 (less common). Alternatively, you can stay on Hwy 12 to Cord Rd and turn south to Acampo Rd to Johnson Rd, back to Hwy 12 (most common). NOTE: there is a MAJOR dip Johnson Rd just before it intersects with Acampo—it’ll jar the teeth right out of your mouth if you aren’t prepared for it!

This blurb is written from the “more common” approach. A little ranch on the corner of Hwy 12 and Cord usually produces Brewer’s Blackbirds and finches, but always stop to see if there are any unusual birds mixed in with them. As you move on, the road drops a little to flat pasture. Look to the left for a small stream where sometimes there will be Common Merganser. Continuing on, in winter watch along the roadside and fences for Savannah and occasionally Vesper sparrows. Further along, there is another stream with lots of trees which are usually pretty active with nuthatches and woodpeckers, such as Downy and Nuttall’s and Northern Flickers. Burrowing Owls have been seen along this road. The vineyards toward the south end are good for Mountain Bluebirds in winter. You may find Lewis’s Woodpeckers as you move higher up the road.

Watch the tops of trees for Phainopeplas and Lewis’s Woodpeckers, usually in the higher elevations. This is one of the higher accessible locations in the eastern county and a good spot to watch for soaring birds. Eagles, falcons and hawks have been seen here. Following this public road takes you westward onto Acampo Rd. It’s a dirt road but passable with a high clearance vehicle unless there have been heavy rains. It tends to get VERY rough the farther west you go; NOT recommended for Priuses! At the bottom of this rough section, the road hits Johnson Rd. At this intersection, there is a low-level pond that is usually dry but can be a good spot after heavy rains. Many ducks use this in winter. Johnson Rd is paved, as is the rest of Acampo Rd (west). Johnson Rd is similar to Cord Rd but stay alert; you’re likely to find just about anything. There is an area with a few rocks off the road where Rock Wrens have been seen. Look over the pasture areas for flocks of Horned Larks, Western Meadowlark, Yellow-headed and Red-winged blackbirds.