Guest post by Jordan Wellwood, Richardson Bay Audubon Center & Sanctuary

The first time I remember seeing a Surf Scoter it was living up to its name. I couldn’t tell if it was playing or feeding, but it was in the surf on the north shore of Drakes Estero in Point Reyes National Seashore, and those waves weren’t small. I lingered and watched for several minutes… two of my favorite things together (waves and birds) was too good to resist. 

As the center director at the Richardson Bay Audubon Center & Sanctuary, I spend a fair amount of time worrying about Surf Scoters and how they will fare in the coming decades. Our sanctuary protects 900 acres of Richardson Bay, a small offshoot of San Francisco Bay between Tiburon and Sausalito, but our little bay isn’t enough to protect all of these waterbirds. What will happen if the bay becomes too deep for the seagrass beds on the bay floor? What if the herring fishery crashes and these birds have nothing to eat? What if their breeding grounds in Alaska and northern Canada deteriorate? Surf Scoters are already rapidly losing ground, and there’s no easy fix or even explanation.

Within San Francisco Bay, Surf Scoters are sometimes harder to spot from shore than other waterbirds, because they prefer the deeper water farther out. But they’ve been spending winters on this bay for longer than anyone can remember because it’s before any of us arrived. Our bay is a complicated maze of commerce, tourism, transportation, recreation, and wildlife. It’s also a major wintering and stopover point for millions of waterbirds like Surf Scoters with a direct connection to places like Alaska and beyond. Many people don’t have a chance to enjoy the birdlife out on the bay on a daily basis, but even if you don’t you should find some comfort in knowing they are there, doing their thing as they always have.

It’s up to us to speak up for these birds… to protect their habitat and their food resources and make sure they have the conditions they require in order to thrive. Audubon is advocating for waterbirds within San Francisco Bay and throughout the Pacific Flyway, and partnering with others to protect these birds in the places beyond our reach. We will keep fighting the good fight and celebrating our hard-won victories, because Surf Scoters mastering waves is something everyone should get to see.

What you can do – give the birds a break and leave them some distance when you’re out on the bay. 300 yards is a minimum, even in a kayak or on a paddleboard. Recycle. Volunteer. Conserve water. Vote.