Mt Charlie

Narrow Mountain Charlie Rd winds north from near Scotts Valley, climbing for five miles through varied woodland and forest from 770 to nearly 2000 feet elevation. Traffic is generally light, permitting roadside birding and owling.

Directions. From Hwy 17 at Scotts Valley take the Granite Creek Rd exit to Scotts Valley Dr. Turn right (north) onto Scotts Valley Dr., then immediately left at a signal onto Glenwood Rd. Continue north on Glenwood Rd for 2.8 miles, then go left on Mountain Charlie Rd. Reset the odometer at the beginning of Mountain Charlie Rd, and continue up stopping at likely areas to search for birds. Some recommended stops are at 0.7, 1.1, 1.4, 1.7, 2.7, 3.1, 4.0, and 4.7 miles.

Birds. Mountain Charlie Rd has the species expected in live oak, redwood, and mixed evergreen forest. Nesting species include California Quail, Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Olive-sided, Pacific-slope and Ash-throated flycatchers, Cassin’s, Hutton’s and Warbling vireos, Oak Titmouse, Black-throated Gray and Orange-crowned warblers, and Black-headed Grosbeak. Small scrubby patches support monkey flower and other blooming plants that attract migrant hummers in spring. Look here for spring migrant Nashville Warblers. Fruiting madrone and toyon attract numerous thrushes in fall and winter, even the rare Townsend’s Solitaire. Owling is often productive, with Western Screech-Owl, Great Horned Owl and Northern Saw-whet Owl being regular. Begin searching at 0.5 mile above the beginning of Mountain Charlie Rd.