East County
Tower Park Marina Resort
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Description of the Area
The former KOA campground here is now known as Jellystone Park. You cannot go into the campground without a pass and wrist band. However, you can bird along Potato Slough Road for free. There is a marina on the west side in Potato Slough and on the east side are the campgrounds with plenty of trees.
How to Get There
Take Highway 12 east and turn right on Glasscock Rd. Take the first left which is Johnson Rd to West Terminous Rd under Highway 12. Turn right onto Tower Parkway into Tower Park Marina Resort. You will be on Potato Slough Rd.
Target Birds
Year-round: Wood Duck, Great Blue and Green herons, Great and Snowy egrets, Double-crested Cormorant, Cooper’s, Red-tailed and Red-shouldered hawks, Belted Kingfisher, Red-winged & Brewer’s blackbirds, Northern Mockingbird, Mourning and Eurasian Collared-doves, Common Raven, American Crow, Black Phoebe.
Summer: Bullock’s and Hooded orioles, Blue and Black-headed grosbeaks, Western Kingbird, Barn, Cliff, Tree, and Northern Rough-winged swallows, Swainson’s Hawk.
Winter: Sandhill Crane, Tundra Swan, Snow, Ross’s and Greater White-fronted geese, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush, Cedar Waxwing, Yellow-rumped and Orange-crowned warblers, White-crowned, Golden-crowned, Savannah, Lincoln’s, and Fox sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos.
Migrants: All Western migrant warblers, Western Tanager, Western Wood-Pewee, Pacific-slope and Willow flycatchers, Rufous Hummingbird.
Rarities: Red-breasted Nuthatch, Phainopepla, White-faced Ibis, American White Pelican, Varied Thrush, White-throated Sparrow.
EBird Hotspot Information
EBird Hotspot – Click Here
Birding At the Site
Your birding will be limited to walking along Potato Slough. Check the west side of Potato Slough Rd toward the Potato Slough and the marina for Great Blue and Green herons, Snowy and Great egrets, Caspian and Forster’s terns, Double-crested Cormorants. Check the trees for migrating warblers, summer birds like orioles (both Bullock’s and Hooded), year-round birds like American Crow, California Scrub-jay, Northern Mockingbird. Also, there are plenty of Rock Pigeons and European Starlings. Summer along the docks, there are nesting Barn Swallows.
More Information
Timing: N/A
Parking: There is plenty of parking
Facilities: There are modern restrooms, restaurant, ice cream shop and small store
Accessibility: The area is wheel-chair accessible
Dogs: N/A
Bikes: N/A
Others: There are modern restrooms, restaurant, ice cream shop and small store