Posts in Category: California
Courting Grebes
We went to Lake Hodges to see the courting Western and Clark’s Grebes. These two are Western and are doing the last act of the courting ritual before actually getting up and running, or “rushing” as it is called, across the water. This pair actually decided not to rush, but they got as far as flinging water at each other with their bills. San Diego River Park at Lake Hodges, Sony RX10iv at 600mm. My birds in flight and action modifications to Program mode. 1/1000th @ f4 @ ISO 200. Processed in Polarr.
Allen’s Hummingbird
This is apparently a good year for Allen’s Hummingbirds in San Diego, California. On our first day here, someone told my daughter Sally that they are “everywhere”, and that certainly has been our experience. In past years the Anna’s predominated, and we have seen a few Anna’s right were I expected to see. them…along the trail above the marsh at Formosa Slough for instance, where I have seen them every visit to San Diego…but there were also Allen’s there…which is a first for me in all they years I have been coming to the San Diego Birding Festival. Sony RX10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. +2 EV (to compensate for the backlight). Processed in Polarr.
Flying the red flag!
Here’s something you don’t see everyday, even if you spend a lot of time at breeding Brown Pelican rookeries…in fact, in all my visits to La Jolla Cove in La Jolla, California over many years, this is the first time I have seen it. This bird had just landed and was, maybe, displaying its pouch to establish territory…at least enough territory to put down its feet in the crowded colony. That red! Sony RX10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. 1/640th @ f4 @ ISO 100. Processed in Polarr.
Oh that blue!
The Brant’s and Double-crested Cormorants are in breeding plumage at La Jolla Cove in southern California this week. This is a Double-crested, which is only this obvious in full breeding. What is never obvious, except on rare occasions when you catch the bird with its mouth open, is that amazing blue inside! Shocking, really, next to the oh so yellow of the throat patch and under those eyebrow plumes. 🙂 Sony RX10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds in flight and action modifications. 1/1000th at f4 @ ISO 320. Processed in Polarr.
Newborn!
Harbor Seals, La Jolla, California
When the good people of La Jolla California built a curing sea wall atop a natural rock barrier to enlarge and improve a small portected beach where their children could swim, they may not have realized that they were creating an ideal pupping beach for the Harbor Seals of the area…but that is certainly what they did. Now, Children’s Pool Beach (or Casa Beach as it is officially called) is closed to humans during pupping season, but the tender spectacle of the Harbor Seals giving birth and nursing young, and hauling out during molt, brings over a million visitors to La Jolla each year, including many bus-loads of kids. Fair trade. 🙂 The colony of 200 seals at La Jolla is relatively unique. It is one of the few colonies on the mainland, the only one south of Ventura, and the only colony in an urban area. Seals are shy of humans, and La Jolla is one of the rare places where they tolerate people as close as they do here.
This is a newborn pup with its mother. In other shots you could see the umbilical cord still attached. Most pups are born on the beach, but they take to the water with their mother within 2 hours. Getting in and out of the water, even in the protected surf of the Children’s Pool, is the hardest challenge and mothers and pups seem to practice the maneuver over and over. The “nosing” behavior you see here promotes bonding between pup and parent and helps keep the pair from loosing each other in the water…and helps the pup to find its mother on a crowed beach.
Sony Rx10iii at 600mm equivalent field of view. Program mode. Processed in Polarr and assembled in Framemagic on my iPad Pro.
Wet Sea Lions chesting.
Sea Lions, La Jolla Cove, California
Wet Sea Lions are very difficult to photograph. The water on their slicked down fur catches the sun and reflects back in big patches of pure white burn-out. You can see a bit left in this image. I have already edited out the worst and most distracting instances.
Moving away from technical grumbling 🙂 these two young males (I assume) were engaged in a bit of play…or working off some aggression…by repeatedly pushing as hard as they could against eachother’s chests. It looked like football players bonding, but in Sea Lion world it may have some completely different function. I saw several pairs this age “chesting”.
Sony Rx10iii at 600mm equivalent field of view. Program mode. 1/250th @ f4 @ ISO 160. Processed in Polarr and TouchRetouch on my iPad Pro.
Marbled Godwit
Marbled Godwit, San Diego California
A rainy morning in San Diego, in the marshes in the San Diego River Channel near its mouth, and a flock of Marbled Godwits. Handsome birds even in the half-light.
Sony Rx10iii at 600mm equivalent field of view. Program mode. 1/500th @ f4 @ ISO 100. Processed in Polarr on my iPad Pro.
Double-crested Cormorant (with crests :)
Double-crested Cormorant, La Jolla California
Sony Rx10iii at 600mm equivalent field of view. Program mode. 1/250th @ ISO 160 @ f4. Processed in Polarr on my iPad Pro.
Brant’s Cormorant
Brant’s Cormorant, La Jolla California
This time of year the cormorants in La Jolla Cove are in full breeding plumage. This is a Brant’s Cormorant. Note the white mutton chops, the white filaments down the back, and the bright blue throat. And, of course, the blue crystal eye. One handsome bird!
Sony Rx10iii at 600mm equivalent field of view. Program mode. 1/400th @ ISO 100 @ f4. Processed in Polarr on my iPad Pro.
Pelican in flight: Point Loma
Brown Pelican, Cabrillo National Monument, San Diego California
Another Brown Pelican in flight shot…this time from the Tide Pools at Cabrillo National Monument at the end of Point Loma in San Diego. The loess cliffs at the Tide Pools are idea for Pelican flight shots, as the birds often ride the uplift right above the top of the cliffs, just above eye-level. This image really catches the “mass” of the bird and the huge wings that sustain it in a glide.
Sony Rx10iii at 600mm equivalent field of view. 1/1000th @ ISO 100 @ f4. Processed in Polarr on my iPad Pro.