Instagram - Natural History Photography

philcolla

Body surfing sea lion this morning, Boomer Beach

Body surfing sea lion this morning, Boomer Beach

Southern Utah Badlands, selfie, aerial view

Southern Utah Badlands, selfie, aerial view

30 seconds of serenity now.

30 seconds of serenity now.

Curious southern right whale calf inspects the cam

Curious southern right whale calf inspects the camera, Argentina.

Southeast end of San Clemente Island: Pyramid Head

Southeast end of San Clemente Island: Pyramid Head and Balanced Rock, with the horseshoe-shaped reef visible through the water in the foreground.

Royal tern suspended in mid air, La Jolla

Royal tern suspended in mid air, La Jolla

California sea lion beseiged by royal terns, La Jo

California sea lion beseiged by royal terns, La Jolla

Horizon, Guadalupe Island.

Horizon, Guadalupe Island.

Yoga pelican performing Ardha Chandrasana (half mo

Yoga pelican performing Ardha Chandrasana (half moon pose). Wow these birds are flexible! #birdsofinstagram #wildlifeoflajolla #lajolla

Sea lion body surfing at Boomer this morning. So m

Sea lion body surfing at Boomer this morning. So much energy in the ocean in La Jolla right now. #sealionsofinstagram #lajolla #surf #sealionsoflajolla

Pelican against a white backdrop of waves crashing

Pelican against a white backdrop of waves crashing on Point La Jolla, yesterday morning.

Sunrise Saturday morning.

Sunrise Saturday morning.

La Jolla Cove surf this morning.#lajolla #lajollac

La Jolla Cove surf this morning.#lajolla #lajollacove #surf #sandiego

La Jolla Cove breaking this morning before the rai

La Jolla Cove breaking this morning before the rain. #lajollacove #lajolla #surf #surfing #sandiego

A few head throws and flight shots of pelicans in

A few head throws and flight shots of pelicans in La Jolla this morning.

Instagram post 17979885088752791

Instagram post 17979885088752791

Northern shoveler in flight, Bosque del Apache NWR

Northern shoveler in flight, Bosque del Apache NWR, NM

Seabirds gliding and perching on sea cliffs, early

Seabirds gliding and perching on sea cliffs, early morning, La Jolla

Sandhill cranes landing in a shallow pool just aft

Sandhill cranes landing in a shallow pool just after sunset, Bosque del Apache NWR.

Storm waves crash upon Goldfish Point in La Jolla,

Storm waves crash upon Goldfish Point in La Jolla, hundreds of pelicans shelter on the rocks out of reach of the waves. Pre-dawn light, long exposure, aerial tripod.

Gorgonians and kelp forest, San Clemente Island

Gorgonians and kelp forest, San Clemente Island

Parivrtta Parsvakonasana, revolved side angle pose

Parivrtta Parsvakonasana, revolved side angle pose.

Pelican yoga, Utthita Tadasana, extended mountain

Pelican yoga, Utthita Tadasana, extended mountain pose with backbend.

Holiday lights on the SIO pier.

Holiday lights on the SIO pier.

Man Bun. Top Knot. This guy had an unusual tuft

Man Bun. Top Knot. This guy had an unusual tuft of dark plumage on the top of his head, almost as if it was between breeding and non-breeding colors. But it also had strange mottled blotches around its head, suggesting it might be a sub-adult just reaching maturity. Whatever, I thought it was
interesting plumage.

Celia, Shireen and I dove Moonlight Cove at Middle

Celia, Shireen and I dove Moonlight Cove at Middle Island in the Coronados yesterday, since all the sea lions had left Lobster Shack (not sure why, it was empty in the water with just a few on the rocks, very strange). I had not been to Moonlight Cove in probably 25 years and had forgotten what a cool spot it is, with clean white sand on the bottom and a gentle slope with boulders and lots of grasses. There were at least three bulls with their harems along the shoreline. One huge bull spent a lot of time looking into our dome ports, he was very chill and didn't even move his harem or pups as they often will. Never seen a bull quite like him. He was as big as they get, almost looked like a small elephant seal bull, and he had a tag but it was totally faded, so our guess is that he was rescued and rehabilitated as a pup years ago and the tag is really old. I spent my time photographing him and sort of left the pups to their own devices for the dive. Water was much clearer than it has been lately, and a chilly 57F.

Tern in flight, La Jolla

Tern in flight, La Jolla

I found a new portrait spot at Middle Grounds, com

I found a new portrait spot at Middle Grounds, complete with a carpet of purple algae and nice walls on each side. I wasn’t able to get multiple sea lions there this time, but will try again next time I am there. It’s surgey as you can tell from millions of tiny bubbles in the water column.

Brown pelican, La Jolla. Not quite breeding plumag

Brown pelican, La Jolla. Not quite breeding plumage yet, still has a few weeks to go, but showing early colors.

A beautiful golden-colored female sea lion over pu

A beautiful golden-colored female sea lion over purple marine algae. I have two small spots that I go to each fall for this image, the sea lions and the carpet of purple algae are always there. In spite of the crappy water a few days ago I was able to make a couple new portraits.

Because I was inverted. Bullshit. No, he was man.

Because I was inverted.
Bullshit.
No, he was man. It was a really great move. He was inverted. I’ve got a great Polaroid of it…

Period of peak pelican plumage starting in 3, 2, 1

Period of peak pelican plumage starting in 3, 2, 1, …

Sea lion gives a little side-eye to a passing mola

Sea lion gives a little side-eye to a passing mola. San Diego last summer.

Sand Harbor at end of day, Lake Tahoe.

Sand Harbor at end of day, Lake Tahoe.

A riot of color, Fiji. FYI: I did not touch the

A riot of color, Fiji. FYI: I did not touch the saturation slider at all, colors are SOOC

Dendronephthya detail, Fiji

Dendronephthya detail, Fiji

Love is in the air: https://www.oceanlight.com/log

Love is in the air: https://www.oceanlight.com/log/courtship-and-mating-groups-among-southern-right-whales.html

White whales: they’re a thing! More here: https:

White whales: they’re a thing! More here: https://www.oceanlight.com/log/southern-right-whale-white-calf-peninsula-valdes-argentina.html

Reef and kelp holdfasts, San Clemente Island

Reef and kelp holdfasts, San Clemente Island

South American Sea Lions, Puerto Piramides, Argent

South American Sea Lions, Puerto Piramides, Argentina

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