Brown Pelican, The Tide Pools, Cabrillo National Monument, San Diego CA

Every year while at the San Diego Birding Festival in February, I visit Cabrillo National Monument on the high far end of Point Loma overlooking San Diego Bay. On the ocean side, at the foot of the point, there are weathered compressed earth cliffs, and tide pools. I go there for the Pelicans. Pelicans use the uplift from the wind off the sea rising up the cliff face to glide for miles along the point…and the come by the tide pool area, often just above eye-level, for some dramatic flight shots. The light yesterday was variable, not always ideal, but with patience, I managed several sequences of shots. The Pelicans cup the wind with their huge wings and appear to be just hanging in air in a single shot like this, but they are really moving at about 30 miles an hour, and keeping them in frame is part of the challenge. Sony RX10iv at 600mm. Program mode. 1/2000th @ f8 @ ISO 100. Processed in Photoshop Express, Apple Photos, and Polarr.