Poly Canyon:

This is a great place to go bird watching, due to the different types of vegetation found in Poly Canyon. Many different birds are able to find a comfortable home here. Poly Canyon is a very popular place to go bird watching which is why our group decided to go birding in this area.   Birds that are commonly found in Poly Canyon, and their locations are:

• California Towhee - Primarily found in brushy habitats like chaparral, followed by riparian thickets of alder and willow.  
• California Quail - Found in Grasslands, foothills and woodlands.  They like areas with lots of brush.
• American Goldfinch - Found in open grasslands, woodlands, riparian areas, and orchards.
• Anna's Hummingbird - Found in brushy oak woodlands and gardens.  
• Red-tailed Hawk - Found in grasslands or marsh- shrub habitats.
• Lesser Goldfinch - Found in open habitats with scattered trees or brush, forest edge and fields.
• Cooper Hawk - Found in forests and open woodlands.
• Northern Harrier - Found on the ground in agricultural fields, abandoned fields and salt marshes.
• Sharp-shinned Hawk - Found in coniferous or mixed forests, forest openings, forest edges, and open woodlands near brushy areas.
• American Kestrel - Found mostly in farmland, suburban and urban areas.
• White-tailed Kite- Found in agricultural areas, grasslands, marshes, savannas, and other open land or sparsely wooded areas.
• White Crown Sparrow- Found in resident populations inhabits Poly Canyon as well as migratory populations.
• Turkey Vulture- Found in roosts in dense canopy and soars over open habitats such as grassland.
• Red Shoulder Hawk- Found in dense riverside and foothill woodlands
• House Wren - Found near farmlands and woodland edges
• Golden Crowned Sparrow- Found in coniferous forests and coastal scrub brush
• Bullock's Oriole- Found in deciduous and riparian forests such as Brizziolari Creek in Poly Canyon
• Bewick's Wren- Found often in scrub brush, such as the coastal scrub of Poly Canyon .

Directions to get to Poly Canyon (from Highway 1):

• Get off the Grand Avenue/ Cal Poly exit
• Turn left on Grand Avenue
• Continue on Grand until Perimeter Street
• Turn right on Perimeter Street
• Continue until you reach the Sierra Vista apartments (on your right )
• Turn into the parking staff parking lot on the right of the Sierra apartments (if its during the weekend)
• The gate leading to Poly Canyon will be between the parking lot and the apartment
• Follow the road after the gate

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