Gaviota SP

Gaviota SP

Gaviota, California 93117

Gaviota State Park Website

Tips for Birding

Fall birding at Gaviota State Park is popular with locals. Post-breeding birds begin to turn up in August and early September, and during the peak of migration can be quite good from mid-September through October. To a lesser degree, spring birding is also productive here. Wander through the campground looking through the planted sycamore trees and oaks, and check around the campsites for ground-feeding sparrows, buntings, and Yellow-rumped Warblers. These flocks will occasionally contain a rarity. Walk to the edge of the creek behind campsites 29 – 39 to bird the willows and margins from an elevated vantage point. Migrant land birds and rarities have been found in and around the creek from this spot. Just outside the entrance kiosk, you can walk to the creek crossing to look through the overhanging trees that line the road. Watch for traffic driving through.

Scoping offshore from the beach can be good for gulls, terns, pelicans, cormorants, loons, grebes, and passing seabirds. Gulls often line the railing of the pier and will sometimes congregate on the beach. At the east end of the beach, a check of the estuary below the train trestle will turn up waterfowl, egrets, herons, and anything feeding at the mouth. At the opposite or west end of the beach, there is a pocket of tamarisk trees near the base of the pier that often acts as a migrant trap and will sometimes contain a rarity, but at other times it is birdless. From the base of the pier scan the rocky coastline to the west for Wandering Tattler. The pier has been closed for several years due to storm damage.

As you approach the park entrance veer to the right and drive up the hill on Hollister Ranch Rd. to a free parking area at the top. Be sure to take valuables with you and lock your vehicle if you park here. You can walk down to the campground from here avoiding the entry fee, or access the Gaviota Wind Caves Trailhead from this parking spot, a 2.0 mile hike to the end of the road and picturesque views of the coastal mountains. The trail is wide and easily traversed before taking the very steep climb to the cliffs above. There is a thick area of fennel along the road at about the mid-way point that may contain migrating birds in fall. Consider the end of Gaviota Wind Caves Trail the Hotspot boundary.

Birds of Interest

Species common to the chaparral slopes include Wrentit, Bewick’s Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, California Thrasher, White-crowned, Golden-crowned, and Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Loggerhead Shrike. Turkey Vultures are frequently seen passing overhead, and you may spot an Osprey or accipiter hawk. Oak Titmouse, Hutton’s Vireo, Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Chestnut-backed Chickadee are found in the willow-riparian habitat.

The list of rarities is long here. Among these are Red-necked Grebe, White-winged Dove, Tropical and Eastern Kingbird, American Tree Sparrow, Yellow-throated Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, and Bobolink. A county first Varied Bunting was found here in 2018.

About this Location

The entrance is located at Gaviota Beach Rd. at the 101 Freeway turnoff. Park hours are 7:00 AM to sunset. Camping is available by reservation up to six months in advance. If there is no attendant at the entry kiosk use the self-pay parking machine as you enter the park. Day use fee is $10.00. Amenities include public restrooms, picnic tables, a beach, 39 campsites, and day use area. A campground host is usually on site. The entire state park area is nearly 2800 acres of habitat and extends into the Santa Ynez range with its exposed coastal cliffs and rocks.

Suggested Hotspot boundaries: Gaviota Wind Caves Trail roadway at the north end of the willow-riparian corridor (north), 101 Freeway and bluff overlooking Gaviota SP (east), offshore viewing distance limit (south), the hills above Gaviota Wind Caves Trail (west)

Helpful tip - your day-use entry fee into Gaviota SP will gain you entrance on the same day to Refugio State Park, and El Capitan State Park nearby. Retain your parking receipt to enter these other parks for a full day of birding.

The campground will be full and the beach busy with beachgoers and swimmers in summer months. Fall is generally quiet and is considered the best season for birding. In addition to good fall birding, Gaviota SP is known for its wind! It can be quite blustery at times creating challenging birding conditions. These “sundowner” winds blow down the canyon from the Santa Ynez ridge above. At other times Gaviota SP can be very pleasant with clear skies, with little to no wind, and may be quite warm. In summer months high cloud cover may linger all day. Be prepared for any type of weather condition. During periods of rain the park may be closed due to flooding.

Formerly Gaviota SP campground had better conditions for birding compared to today. The campsites were once lined throughout with non-native tamarisk trees (tamarix sp.) which provided cover and excellent habitat for migrating passerines. These tamarisks often held rarities for several days, especially when leaf-hopper infestation occurred which provided a good food source. Restoration to more native plant varieties removed all the tamarisks which resulted in poorer conditions overall for migrating birds, but Gaviota still maintains decent habitat for fall birding. However, birds no longer linger for extended periods of time as they once did.

Features

  • Restrooms on site

  • Entrance fee

Content from Jamie Chavez

Last updated September 3, 2023

Gaviota State Park Map
Jamie Chavez
Suggested Gaviota State Park Hotspot Boundaries
Jamie Chavez