Apay Way trail: July 24, 2011

Walking Distance: 3.24 miles
Walking Time: 1 hr., 29 min. (5:07 - 6:36 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Parking area, near Marshlands Rd., Coyote Hills Regional Park (south end), Fremont?, CA


Late this afternoon/early evening, I walked from parking space near Marshlands Rd. to the Highway 84 overcrossing/bridge to the North side of Coyote Hills Regional Park, passing a large open pit quarry along the way, that was filled with a pool of green water at the bottom.  I followed this unpaved trail to the end/start of Apay Way trail (east of "No Name Trail") -- then back to my car the same way.

A small group of snowy egrets were still hopping around a bit (must be breeding season); a (California King) snake absorbing a bit of sun on the trail quickly disappeared into the grass when it sensed I was approaching; and a minute later I was looking at a great blue heron standing perfectly still - the silent hunter -- standing in yellow-green algae.


Wildlife:
9 sea gulls; 3 bumblebees; 2 doves; 2 little brown jobs (LBJs); 3 white pelicans; 3 blurs in bushes (BIBs); 5 terns; 7 dragonflies; 4 unidentified flying bugs (UFBs); 4 snowy egrets; 1 feral or wildcat of some type; 1 duck; 1 California king snake; 1 light-colored moth/butterfly; 6 swallows