November is a bit early for the best displays of California brown pelican breeding plumage. But we recently had a week-long run of perfect weather to photograph mornings in La Jolla. By perfect I mean just the right combination of sunlight, wind, certain water conditions (hint: think how the water affects what the birds are doing and where they go) and a lack of people. The wind in the morning is usually light and variable which means it swirls a bit and is sometimes but not always great for flight photography. But when a Santa Ana kicks in, which we had throughout Thanksgiving week, winds become consistently offshore and align with the best light angle making for good flight photography. With the exception of one day when I was diving in the Coronados (and watching the thousands of pelicans and hundreds of boobies that are at the islands right now), I was along the cliffs in La Jolla in the early morning to practice with my long lens. I was alone almost the entire time which makes things very nice. (Covid did bring a few silver linings, including a lack of tourists in La Jolla, but that has come to an end this year.) Several mornings I was, after 30 minutes of standing quietly in one spot, surrounding by quite a few pelicans who landed near me. I saw a handful of adults with complete breeding plumage along with many adults with vibrant colors who have not yet transitioned to the brown neck color – that will happen soon. Here are some images to show the variety of photos I was able to make. Cheers, and thanks for looking!
Brown pelican in flight with wings spread wide, slowing as it returns from the ocean to land on seacliffs, adult winter non-breeding plumage.
Image ID: 38584
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Brandts Cormorant portrait in shade, over the ocean.
Image ID: 38603
Species: Brandt's cormorant, Phalacrocorax penicillatus
Location: La Jolla, California
Brown pelican in flight with wings spread wide, slowing as it returns from the ocean to land on seacliffs, adult winter non-breeding plumage.
Image ID: 38608
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Brown pelican head throw in soft pre-sunrise light, adult winter non-breeding plumage.
Image ID: 38585
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Brown pelican head throw in soft pre-sunrise light, adult winter non-breeding plumage.
Image ID: 38586
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Brown pelican close-up portrait, orange-red bill with pink tissue surrounding eyes, yellow and white head feathers, adult winter non-breeding plumage.
Image ID: 38587
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Brown pelican in flight with wings spread wide, slowing as it returns from the ocean to land on seacliffs, adult winter non-breeding plumage.
Image ID: 38588
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Brown pelican in flight with wings spread wide, slowing as it returns from the ocean to land on seacliffs, juvenile plumage.
Image ID: 38589
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
California Brown Pelican claps its jaws, sometimes rapidly several times, perhaps to dislodge debris or simply because its fun and feels good. This is not the same as the "yawn" that precedes a head throw. Adult winter breeding plumage with brown hind-neck.
Image ID: 38590
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
California brown pelican full body portrait, perched on rock over the ocean in sunlight, adult winter non-breeding plumage.
Image ID: 38591
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
California Brown Pelican claps its jaws, sometimes rapidly several times, perhaps to dislodge debris or simply because its fun and feels good. This is not the same as the "yawn" that precedes a head throw. Adult winter non-breeding plumage.
Image ID: 38593
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Juvenile western gull portrait against ocean backdrop, suspected second or third winter plumage.
Image ID: 38594
Species: Western gull, Larus occidentalis
Location: La Jolla, California
California Brown Pelican Soaring over the Ocean, two paddleboarders and Point La Jolla in the background.
Image ID: 38579
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
California Brown Pelican Soaring over the Ocean.
Image ID: 38580
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Brandt's Cormorant in Flight.
Image ID: 38582
Species: Brandt's cormorant, Phalacrocorax penicillatus
Location: La Jolla, California
Brown pelican close-up portrait, orange-red bill with pink tissue surrounding eyes, yellow and white head feathers, adult winter non-breeding plumage.
Image ID: 38595
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Sweetheart California Brown Pelicans, facing each other so heads form a heart shape, adult winter non-breeding plumage.
Image ID: 38596
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Brown pelican in flight with wings spread wide, slowing as it returns from the ocean to land on seacliffs, juvenile winter plumage.
Image ID: 38597
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
California brown pelican in flight in soft pre-dawn light, adult winter non-breeding plumage.
Image ID: 38598
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
California brown pelican portrait, lit with a bit of flash about 30 minutes before sunrise. Adult winter nonbreeding plumage.
Image ID: 38599
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Brown pelican nictitating membrane, a translucent membrane that forms an inner eyelid in birds, reptiles, and some mammals. It can be drawn across the eye to protect it while diving in the ocean, from sand and dust and keep it moist.
Image ID: 38601
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Brown pelican stares directly at photographer, adult winter non-breeding plumage.
Image ID: 38604
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
California brown pelican resting with head under wing, perched on a rock over the ocean, in shade, adult winter non-breeding plumage.
Image ID: 38605
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
California Brown Pelican Soaring over the Ocean.
Image ID: 38606
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
California Brown Pelican Non-Breeding Portrait.
Image ID: 38609
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
California Brown Pelican Wings Spread to Land on Seacliffs, juvenile landing amidst a group of other pelicans.
Image ID: 38614
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
