Brooks Island

Judith Dunham

Conditions were ideal this morning for scoping Brooks Island from the Bay Trail in Richmond. The wind was low, the visibility excellent, and the light not yet too harsh. I parked at Lucretia Edwards Shoreline Park, at the southern end of Marina Way South, and walked the trail a short distance from there west along the promenade on the south side of the old Ford plant, which houses the Boiler House restaurant.

At first, I was excited to see a couple Caspian Terns in flight at very close range. When I scanned the northern part of the island, I could observe dozens of Caspians. I zoomed in and worked through the flock, ultimately counting about 150 birds. I tried--unsuccessfully--
to find a Black Skimmer.

The tide was low, which meant that the hundreds of shorebirds along the island's exposed shoreline were somewhat closer to my position, but not close enough to identify the hundreds, possibly thousands of smaller species. I did see Long-billed Curlew and American Avocet. Also on the island were Forster's Terns and a plethora of gulls. Out in the water a short distance from the trail was a beautiful Common Loon in breeding plumage.

Judith Dunham
Berkeley, CA