Recently in Alameda County Category

Driving up by Ohlone College in Fremont today, I met one of the institution's students, a wild Turkey.

Update: That was one big bird. A good 20 pounder, maybe more. She was strutting at the edge of the the very large Mission Peak regional park, near an academic building at Ohlone College. The question we must now ask ourselves is, what does a turkey major in? My money's on business. Or maybe culinary arts, and her thesis will be a stuffed human with honey glaze.

After almost two years, it's time for me to say goodbye to my current city of residence, Fremont, California. A job transfer takes me to Minneapolis later this month. So let's take a moment to consider the gloriously clear and beautiful evening we had here last night, and to consider that if Fremont were in Minnesota, it would probably be a major ski resort. As a native Northern Californian, it will be quite a big change.

The hills (those would be "mountains" to midwesterners) have turned from green to gold--finally, after a rather wet and cold spring.

The lone remaining farm in my neighborhood is starting its yearly corn harvest.

More on the flipside...

Up at Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park this weekend, an idyllic ridge-top pastoral scene 1600 feet above sea level, I played paparazzi to some cows. This fellow stared me down until I moved away.

Found this little fellow snacking in the Coyote Hills, Fremont. He is obviously on some sort of new diet craze involving heavy consumption of greens.

We've spent some time at Coyote Hills Regional Park, near the Dumbarton Bridge, and now it's time to explore the Hayward Regional Shoreline, near the San Mateo Bridge. Though not as beautiful and diverse as Coyote Hills, Hayward Shoreline has quite a number of birds and a nice spot to watch the the San Francisco Bay.

The ladies of th Sunol, California, homeowners' association would like to express their concern over the lack of cable television access in the Sunol Regional Wilderness park. The ladies would very much like to catch up on past episodes of CSI and Desperate Housewives. They also have some shopping to do on HSN. The ladies hereby warn the public that if they do not get what they want, they may spend even more time sleeping that would be considered prudent. Thank you for your attention.

Fremont, California is one of those cities in which no tourist ever sets foot. But like the rest of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, it hosts the East Bay Regional Parks District, a series of beautiful parks, many of which would be state parks in other parts of the country. One that is well known to commuters who cross the homely Dumbarton Bridge is Coyote Hills Regional Park.

This time of year the hills are emerald green, lush with wildflowers, brimming with squirrels.

Update: nice article on Coyote Hills here.

Fremont, California's Coyote Hills Regional Park is one of the Bay Area's hidden gems, and a place I enjoy stalking with my camera. This red-winged blackbird perched on the cattails in the marsh and posed nicely. More pictures from Coyote Hills coming up this week.