Brown Pelicans, Scripps Park, La Joya CA

The breeding plumage Brown Pelicans of La Joya Cove and Scrpps Park in La Joya California are always a treat when I visit in March. Of course there are Brown Pelicans in breeding plumage on every bait float and every dock where fishing boats come in all up and down the coast of Southern California at that time, but I enjoy seeing them in the more natural setting of the rocks of the La Joya cliffs. Rock in the foreground, crashing surf in the background…what could be better?

This group of three pelicans seems to be posing for any theme involving the number three. The shot is enhanced by the diagonal of the rock, especially as it relates visually to the shallow triangle of the birds. There is a graphic satisfaction in the image as well as a portrait of the birds.

Nikon P900 at 800mm equivalent field of view. 1/800th @ ISO 100 @ f5.6. Processed in Lightroom. (If you would like to see how this image was processed, I have featured it in an article about DIY Lightroom Plugins on my P&S Nature Photographer site. Here.)