Spectacular time to see golden eagles
East Bay reservoir offers best views of nesting raptors
Golden eagles are among the fiercest predators trolling the skies of California, capable of diving at speeds approaching 200 mph when pursuing prey.
In the wildlands near Los Vaqueros Reservoir in the East Bay hills, these raptors are thriving, providing bird watchers and casual wildlife enthusiasts glimpses into their incredible world.
“The coastal range in the greater Bay Area has the largest golden eagle population in the world,” according to a 2019 report authored by wildlife biologists for the Contra Costa Water District, which oversees the reservoir and watershed.
In late winter and spring, the Los Vaqueros watershed is often the best place to see golden eagles — wintering, resting, feeding, watering and breeding. Bald eagles and other raptors also stay here through spring. The region’s relatively tepid winter climate and high food supply — including trout in lakes and ground squirrels and rabbits in the foothills — provide an ideal winter habitat for migrant eagles.
Wildlife biologists spotted 50 mated pairs of golden eagles in
surveys of known nesting sites a year ago, research published last fall by the U.S. Geological Survey reported. Many of the birds live in Los Vaqueros yearround while others just pass through, the report says.
Last spring, five fledged eaglets emerged from the watershed — the highest number since 2012, when eight fledged. Baby golden eagles are not goldcolored, but instead look like little tufts of gray. They grow quickly, often fledging around 10 weeks, and reach full size in about three months.
Their reputation as powerful hunters is well deserved.
With 7foot wingspans, golden eagles sighted at Los Vaqueros hunt ground squirrels and other rodents before returning to their nests. But in the Eastern Sierra near Bishop, they have been documented plucking young Sierra bighorn sheep from their parents.
“They are amazing, amazing creatures,” said Jennifer Allen, director of public affairs for the Contra Costa Water District.
Located northeast of Livermore, Los Vaqueros is a 1,500acre lake — big by Bay Area standards. After amateur photographer Steve Goodall first ventured there four years ago and captured a series of spectacular photos of golden eagles, bald eagles, hawks and falcons, and then published them in The Chronicle and on other sites, the watershed became widely known as one of America’s preeminent destinations to see raptors.
“I’m fascinated with these raptors, how they fly,” Goodall said. For photography, he said he always spots them from the lake, as he sits quietly in a boat.
“If you sit there long enough, they don’t look at you as a threat,” Goodall said. “I’ll put the anchor down and wait for them to come to me. You’ve got to be quiet. Some people just don’t know how to stop talking.”
Now is the perfect time to
catch sight of a golden eagle here — the population in eastern Contra Costa County peaks in late winter. By July, most will have migrated north.
The golden eagle is a “special status,” species, that is, fully protected under the Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle Protection Act. Wildlife biologists at Los Vaqueros have closed 10 trails this month to protect
active nests from human intrusion.
To watch the eagles without disturbing them, wildlife watchers and anglers are renting boats at Los Vaqueros Marina. And then, from a distance on the water, scanning with binoculars in the adjacent hills for the giant nests, often 5 to 6 feet across.
The raptors often don’t emerge to hunt until sun hits the hills, and in turn, ground squirrels then surface from their holes, Goodall said. To identify the most likely sites to spot them, Contra Costa Water District has published a listing of the closed trails and a map for the watershed at www.ccwater.com.
At Los Vaqueros, 20 16foot aluminum skiffs and three patio boats are available for rent, firstcome, firstserved. The boats are powered by quiet electric motors mounted to the stern.
On weekends, the skiffs cost $70 for a full day and $50 for a half day, and Tuesdays through Thursdays, $50 and $35, respectively. The patio boats, a larger and more stable platform for photographers and suitable for tripods, cost $165 for a full day and $115 for a half day on weekends, $115 and $80, respectively, Tuesday through Thursdays.
The marina can be reached at 9253712628.