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Birds

Brandt’s Cormorants (Phalacrocorax penicillatus) Courtship and Nesting on Seacliffs in La Jolla, California Seabird

Brandt’s Cormorants (Phalacrocorax penicillatus) Courtship and Nesting on Seacliffs in La Jolla, California

Late January and early February is an ideal time to see Brandt's Cormorants (Phalacrocorax penicillatus) practicing their courtship behaviors and building nests in preparation for egg laying in a few weeks.  We had some storm activity in January which washed away most nests, but the cormorants have been rebuilding nests…
February 6, 2024
Goldfish Point Pelicans: the Gift that Keeps on Giving, Winter 2022/2023, Part V Pelicans of La JollaSeabird

Goldfish Point Pelicans: the Gift that Keeps on Giving, Winter 2022/2023, Part V

I'm shooting the La Jolla pelicans often this winter; see recent blog posts about La Jolla Pelicans as well as a gallery of my favorite brown pelican photos. Our wonderful weather and bird activity continues. It's the day after Christmas and the rest of the country remains freezing and in…
December 27, 2022
California Brown Pelicans in La Jolla, Winter 2022/2023, Part II Pelicans of La JollaSeabird

California Brown Pelicans in La Jolla, Winter 2022/2023, Part II

The first few weeks in December were generally great for photographing a variety of subjects in La Jolla with the exception of La Jolla's California brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis), at least on the mornings I was there. The pelicans seemed to be mostly gone, perhaps offshore foraging or just occupying cliffs that…
December 21, 2022
California Brown Pelican, plumage variety
Interesting Variations in California Brown Pelican Plumage, Pelecanus occidentalis, Winter 2022/2023 Part I Pelicans of La JollaSeabird

Interesting Variations in California Brown Pelican Plumage, Pelecanus occidentalis, Winter 2022/2023 Part I

This is the time of year that I photograph in La Jolla often, and California brown pelicans are one of my favorite subjects.  Adult brown pelicans are now entering the period when they display vibrant breeding and non-breeding winter plumage. And there is a variety of juvenile plumage to be…
December 20, 2022
Ghost Pelicans 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
Cormorant Coming in Hot 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
Western Grebes and Clark’s Grebes Rushing on Lake Hodges 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