A 150-foot diameter radio telescope sits atop one of the foothills behind the central campus. The 150-ton parabolic reflector was completed in 1960, but was eventually hampered by funding limitations and Bay Area-generated radio frequency interference (RFI), both of which have been addressed by Stanford researchers.Birds to look for:
- small grassland and woodland species within the open, grassy oak woodland; as well as raptors, stalking Great Blue Heron and Snowy Egret within vole habitat, and the occasional Ring-necked Pheasant
- occasional human commensals and species associated with human-built structures near the various buildings
- a few aquatic species along San Francisquito Creek running behind the dish
The Dish and its Birds
The open-woodland and grassland surrounding the radio telescope are part of the academic reserve, and a loop trail from Junipero Serra Boulevard affords walkers access.BACK
