On our first visit to Brooker Creek, we had to turn back due to standing water over the trail, plus a persistent following of mosquitoes. When we returned in the second half of December, the dry season here, the mosquitoes were absent, but the standing water remained. Judging from the aquatic plants, the water is permanent, which is great for habitat restoration, but then makes the trail maps available at the parking lot rather fanciful.

But along the boardwalk and the dry section of trail, the trees were filled with bird song. Most flitted beyond picture taking distance, and don’t stand in one place long enough anyway. But here is a black and white warbler which just caught a spider.

A robin and wood thrush hung a bit closer, though I had a branch in the way of the thrush.

We believe this is a bullfrog tadpole. The pool this one was in was home to at least a dozen of its siblings.