Date: 7/27/26 9:19 am From: Ethan Monk via groups.io <z.querula...> Subject: Re: [EBB-Sightings] notes
I should clarify my Forster's Tern statement: I have not seen them in
summer on Richmond's San Francisco Bay shoreline in 5 or so years. While
they have declined along the north Richmond (and North Richmond) shorelines
on San Pablo Bay, they are still present during the summer in that region.
Ethan
On Mon, Jul 27, 2026 at 9:14 AM Ethan Monk via groups.io <z.querula=
<gmail.com...> wrote:
> This morning I was able to briefly check some spots in Richmond.
> Highlights were one Red Knot at Meeker Slough, 4 Forster's Terns in the
> Albany Crescent, and 10+ Least Terns in the Albany Crescent/off Isabel.
> Forster's Terns were not a difficult species to find in Richmond in
> July/August when I started birding, but I think it has been five or more
> years since I have seen a summer Forster's Tern in Richmond. The Least
> Terns were curious. At about 6:25 AM, I heard Least Terns flying over me
> while I was scoping the bay from near the Pt. Isabel radio tower. I looked
> up and saw a flock of 8 silhouetted against the fog flying northeast. I
> followed them as they appeared to beeline into urban Richmond towards
> ~50th/55th streets . About thirty minutes later I was scoping the Albany
> Crescent when 8 Least Terns dropped in from the north--from over the
> Costco--and began to forage in the bay water. I presume the same birds?
> Other than the 8, one adult and doting juvenile were foraging together off
> Pt. Isabel for much of the morning.
>
> While I am here, last Friday morning birding Bethel Island I found a
> Swainson's Thrush. This is one of the latest local breeding species to
> migrate, and is exceptionally rare away from breeding sites in July. So, it
> feels worth a mention here.
>
> Best
> Ethan Monk
>
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