Tag

Birds

Pelicans of La JollaSeabird

La Jolla Seabirds in Late December

Our long run of perfect weather mornings changed, and my string of uninterrupted days photographing in La Jolla came to an end, in mid-December around Christmas.  Still, I enjoyed several nice mornings including a few with good flight behavior. Most interesting were two days in which a large bait ball…
January 3, 2024
Seabird

Royal Terns in La Jolla, Sterna maxima

I've got a couple places in La Jolla that I go to to photograph animals or seabirds. Lately, one of those spots has had many Royal Terns (Sterna maxima).  These images illustrate both non-breeding plumage (which is distinguished by the tern's black head cap only covering the back of the…
December 29, 2022
Pelicans of La JollaSeabird

Pelican Yoga, Winter 2022/2023, Part III

When photographing the birds in La Jolla, lately I have found myself trying to capture their bizarre contortions and realized these birds are the original yoga practitioners!  (When brown pelicans bend their head backward to their back it is usually as a part of preening, so that the preen oil…
December 24, 2022
Seabird

Black Oystercatcher, Haematopus bachmani, La Jolla

I don't have the discipline to be a real bird photographer, but when seabirds (which are my favorites) walk right up to me I will of course do my best to get an image. This black oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani) was walking among the sea lions on Alligator Head one recent…
February 4, 2022
Birds

Allen’s Hummingbird, Adult Male, La Jolla

I came across this gorgeous tiny male Allen's Hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin) while walking the coast trail in La Jolla. I had actually seen this specific bird on one particular shrub repeatedly over several days, and one an overcast morning decided to stop and take its portrait.  Cheers, and thanks for…
January 20, 2022
Pelicans of La JollaSeabird

Ghost Pelicans

I photograph California brown pelicans often, and lately have been working on different ways to portray them besides being lit by the warm morning sun.  Well before sunrise, I have been out trying to capture them as they glide over waves or approach the seaside cliffs of La Jolla. I…
January 19, 2022
Seabird

Cormorant Coming in Hot

Cormorants are another of my favorite birds. I've spent a lot of time underwater with them, watching as they submerge -- up to 100' deep! -- and hunt through schools of bait, or pick around among detritus on the sea floor. Photographing them in flight is not one of strong…
January 14, 2022
Pelicans of La JollaSeabird

Preening, Seabirds and the Uropygial Gland

On Preening, Seabirds and the Uropygial Gland Many birds, including most seabirds, preen their feathers. This involves spreading a substance known as "preen oil", secreted from the uropygial gland (preen gland) near the base of the bird's tail, to feathers all over the body.  The preen oil protects the feathers…
January 10, 2022
BirdsSan Diego

Western Grebes and Clark’s Grebes Rushing on Lake Hodges

Western Grebes (Aechmophorus occidentalis) and Clark's Grebes (Aechmophorus clarkii) exhibit some of the most elaborate and impressive courtship behavior found in the animal world, including various vocalizations, swimming movements, the exchange of nesting material ("weed ceremony") and, most notably, the "rushing ceremony".  When grebes rush, they rise entirely out of…
March 9, 2021
San Diego

Paradise in February: San Diego

President's Weekend was nice here. The rest of the country is freezing, yup that's pretty bad. Southern California is in the midst of a bad drought and our Sierra Nevada is missing its usual snowpack which is going to hurt in the coming months, but at least the warm winter…
February 18, 2015