Along Carmel Valley Road, between about milepost 19.3 and 20.8, the Rana Creek Preserve fronts Carmel Valley Road on the north side, while Tularcitos Creek borders the road on the south side [Carmel Valley Road may actually run northwest to southeast on a map, but it is easiest to think of Carmel Valley Road as going east, away from the coast, or west, towards the coast]. Rana Creek Ranch used to be private property but now its habitats have been preserved by the Wildlands Conservancy, and has been re-named Rana Creek Preserve. The habitat on both sides of Carmel Valley Road along this 1.5 mile stretch is fine oak savanna, and often the first place one might encounter Yellow-billed Magpie as one drives or bikes along Carmel Valley Road eastwards.

This is all roadside birding, using pullouts on Carmel Valley Road and being careful (the road can be very busy on weekends or mid-day). There are two big gates to Rana Creek Preserve: one at milepost 19.3 and the other at milepost 20.8. Both fates have areas to  park out of the way and off the road; the eastern gate (mp 20.8) has a very large parking area (where the droplet for the Hotspot is located). 

Rana Creek Preserve is managed and being restored by the Wildlands Conservancy, with the intent to provide public access in the future. Currently the Preserve is restricted to researchers and permitted volunteers.

From the Rana Creek Preserve gates / parking areas, or other pull-outs from the paved road, look and listen for oak woodland birds, including residents like Wild Turkey, Yellow-billed Magpie, Acorn and Nuttall's Woodpecker, Oak Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, and Western Bluebird. Summer breeders include Violet-green Swallow, Lark Sparrow (patchy) and Northern Oriole. In winter the oaks may have "Audubon's" Yellow-rumped Warbler and Ruby-crowned Kinglet, with brushy fields hosting flocks of sparrows. Watch for raptors, including eagles, Northern Harrier, White-tailed Kite, Cooper's Hawk, and American Kestrel.