Birds

California Brown Pelicans in La Jolla, New Portrait and Flight Images

Each winter I photograph the California race of Brown Pelican in La Jolla (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus). From about mid December through early February, if I look out the window and the skies to the east are clear and there is no fog over La Jolla, I have a chance to hustle…

adminMarch 11, 2021

Birds San 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…

adminMarch 9, 2021

Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird

Photos of California Brown Pelicans in La Jolla

Since I dive with seabirds and often have fine opportunities to observe them in and under the water, photography of seabirds holds a certain appeal and I do pursue it from time to time. However, there is really only one bird that I have been able to photograph well, primarily…

adminJanuary 31, 2019

Alaska Antarctica Bald Eagle California Fiji Hawaii Mexico Ocean Sunfish Penguin Surf Underwater Photography

Seven of my Favorite Images #challengeonnaturephotography

In December a Facebook "challenge" was making the rounds named #challengeonnaturephotography. One of my favorite underwater photographers, Allison Vitsky Sallmon, nominated me to give it a try, and these are the seven images I plucked from my files to share. Each bears a special place in my personal history of…

adminJanuary 16, 2016

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…

adminFebruary 18, 2015

Birds Pelicans of La Jolla San Diego Seabird

The Original Wind Surfers: Pelicans, Waves and Surf

Wikipedia describes the origins of wind surfing in the 1940s and 1950s. It couldn't be more wrong. For as long as they have existed, sea birds and their ancestors have plied the oceans, riding the updrafts of surf, waves and sea swells to gain efficiency and a free ride. My…

adminFebruary 16, 2015

Birds La Jolla Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird

La Jolla Birds

La Jolla birds as of this morning. I had until 8:45 before catching the end of Sarah's practice so I went down the coast highway. There were some waves in Encinitas but nothing special. Spectacular clearing mist at Torrey Pines at sunrise. In La Jolla the light changed much and…

adminFebruary 7, 2015

Birds

Ring-Billed Gull, Larus Delawarensis, La Jolla

Once in a while I will photograph seagulls. I really should spend more time on them, since they can at times be beautiful in the right light and when in good condition. Unfortunately, gulls often they look like crap, and when I see them out on the water I invariably…

adminFebruary 6, 2015

Birds

Heermann’s Gull, Larus heermanni

The Heermann's Gull (Larus heermanni), photographed when I am out and about in La Jolla and North County. Lately I have been trying to frame seabirds against blue water, or have the ocean horizon in the image to anchor the composition and help tie the animal with the ocean. Cheers,…

adminFebruary 1, 2015

Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird

California Brown Pelicans, La Jolla, December 2014

A PDF guide to photographing these pelicans: Guide to Photographing Pelicans in La Jolla. If you like these photos, you can also see lots more blog posts from past sessions photographing California brown pelicans in La Jolla. Or, I've got a gallery of some keepers on my website, but most…

adminDecember 10, 2014

Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird

California Brown Pelicans, Winter Plumage, La Jolla

The plumage of La Jolla's California brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) has been especially striking this year, it seems there are more really red throats and deep brown necked adult brown pelicans on the bluffs than usual. I also find it interesting how much color variation there is in the bills…

adminJanuary 20, 2014

Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird

La Jolla Bluffs, Gulls, Cormorants and Pelicans

I have not been down to the La Jolla bluffs for a couple weeks to see my favorite seabirds, the California race of the brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis), so I thought I would take a look this morning. I had hoped the projected swell would be up this morning, allowing…

adminJanuary 18, 2014

Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird

California Brown Pelicans in Flight, La Jolla, California

The morning light along our coast has been very nice lately, not to mention our temps have been balmy while the rest of the country is in deep freeze. I've had a couple nice morning sessions photographing my favorite seabirds, the California race of the brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis), including…

adminJanuary 6, 2014

Environmental Problems Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird

Seabird Entanglement in Monofilament Fishing Line

Unfortunately, I have another image of wildlife entanglement to share, this time a California brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) entangled in monofilament fishing line. This seabird appeared to me to have ingested a hook or lure, so that one end of the monofilament fishing line was down its throat while the…

adminJanuary 2, 2014

Abstract Birds

Ghost Cormorant

A cormorant speeds home to its nest in the La Jolla seacliffs, flying just above the waves. Shot long before sunrise, this image is blurred from the long time the shutter was open.

adminJanuary 1, 2014

Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird

End of the World Pelicans

I figured the Mayan World's End is coming soon, so I would go photograph some pelicans before it was all over. Here are a few new photographs of brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus). Cheers, and thanks for looking! Brown pelican in flight. The wingspan of the brown pelican is over…

adminDecember 20, 2012

Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird

Brown Pelican and Belt of Venus

I set up to make photographs of brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus) in front of the thin pastel colors of the "belt of Venus", or "Earth Shadow", that forms just above the horizon at dawn and dusk when atmospheric conditions are favorable. If you can't envision what the Belt of…

adminDecember 19, 2012

Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird

Braking to Land

This morning offered about 30 minutes of good light before the clouds took the sun away. Here are a few of photographs of brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus) returning from the ocean where they have been foraging for food, spreading their large wings wide as they brake to land on…

adminDecember 16, 2012

Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird Wisdom

Distance, Perspective and the Out-Of-Focus Background

I went down to La Jolla this morning to photograph brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus) with my friend Garry McCarthy. My plan was to test the sharpness of my 500 with a 2x teleconverter** so I had a pretty long setup. In the course of reviewing the morning's catch, I realized…

adminJanuary 18, 2012

Environmental Problems Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird

Seabird Entanglement in Plastic

This week I licensed a photo of this unfortunate brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) entangled in what appears to be a grocery bag to an environmental education initiative, to illustrate the tangible effects of trash and debris on the marine environment. I originally posted about this bird in 2009. I believe…

adminJanuary 29, 2011

California La Jolla Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird

La Jolla Pelicans

I was recently contacted by a fellow from outside the country who would like to visit La Jolla to photograph, among other things, California brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus), but was concerned about access to the bluff where these birds are best photographed. Since I had not been down to…

adminDecember 24, 2010

Birds Bosque del Apache New Mexico

Bosque Del Apache NWR, New Mexico, 2010

Skip and I made a short trip to Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, in New Mexico, to photograph snow geese (Chen caerulescens) and sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis). This is strictly bird photography and has essentially nothing to do with the marine subjects that I really prefer. But its cheap,…

adminDecember 13, 2010

La Jolla Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird

Sunrise Pelican

On a recent winter morning I found this adult California brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus) displaying the species' characteristic winter breeding plumage (note the chestnut hindneck) posing nicely as the distant sky took on the pre-sunrise purple glow. This is basically straight out of the camera. I did not adjust…

adminFebruary 15, 2010

Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird

California Pelican with Identification Tag

Garry McCarthy forwarded this link to me today, about the distress that many California brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus) are in this winter: 14 recovering pelicans released along Calif. coast. It appears that this year's El Nino phenomenon is causing fish to be deeper in the ocean than normal, making…

adminFebruary 14, 2010

La Jolla Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird

Brown Pelicans

This morning I photographed brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus) in La Jolla. I really don't need any more photos of pelicans but the setting is so beautiful that I keep returning. I've enjoyed these cliffs for 30 years. (We used to cliff dive off of them in college but now…

adminFebruary 13, 2010

Birds

Northern Shoveler, Anas clypeata

I photographed this Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) Sunday morning at Santee Lakes. The coast near my home was totally socked in with pea soup fog, but once I got inland to Santee Lakes the skies cleared. Santee Lakes has some great duck photography. I am not a bird-centric photographer, but…

adminOctober 20, 2009

Arizona Birds

Northern Cardinal Photo

Northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). This was the other small songbird that I hoped to see in Arizona. It is very similar to the Pyrrhuloxia (see yesterday's post). In fact the female cardinal looks a lot like the male Pyrrhuloxia at first glance, although the shape of the beak (among other…

adminJune 13, 2009

Arizona Birds

Pyrrhuloxia Photo

Pyrrhuloxia (Cardinalis sinuatus). This was one of the two birds I was hoping to see in Arizona. In general, we do not see small colorful birds like this in Southern California (except for escaped exotics like parrots). At first I thought Pyrrhuloxia was the latin (scientific) name for this bird,…

adminJune 12, 2009

Alaska Bald Eagle Wildlife Wisdom

Photographing Bald Eagles in Homer, Alaska

Photographing Bald Eagles in Homer AK -- What Worked and What Didn't Bald eagle in flight, banking over beach with Kachemak Bay in background. Image ID: 22613 Species: Bald eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Haliaeetus leucocephalus washingtoniensis Location: Kachemak Bay, Homer, Alaska, USA If you have seen much of this web site,…

adminMarch 29, 2009

Environmental Problems Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird

Seabird Entangled in Plastic

To add to my description from yesterday about the pelican entangled in a plastic bag, here is another view of the brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus) entangled in a plastic grocery bag. I did consider making a grab for the bird (gently of course), hoping I could restrain it long…

adminMarch 7, 2009

Environmental Problems La Jolla Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird

Pelican Entangled in Plastic Bag

Discarded plastics and styrofoam are destroying our environment. They wreak havoc especially hard on marine wildlife. I recently came across a textbook example of how such trash can injure and kill in the form of this unfortunate brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus) which is entangled in what appears to be…

adminMarch 6, 2009

California La Jolla Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird Wildlife

Pelicans in La Jolla

I went down to La Jolla this morning to see how many brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus) are there. (The California race of brown pelicans has been experiencing a mysterious malady this year, with many pelicans being found weak and disoriented far away from their usual habitat.) I had not…

adminFebruary 28, 2009

Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird

Open Wide

When I first viewed the shots from the day this was taken, I nearly tossed this one. "Sick and ugly" I thought. However, Skip said he thought it was the best shot of that day. I still think it is rather hard on the eyes, but I'll hold on to…

adminFebruary 4, 2009

Birds Bosque del Apache New Mexico

Snow Geese Blasting Off at Sunrise, Bosque del Apache

Another early morning blast off of thousands of snow geese (Chen caerulescens), viewed from near the flight deck alongside the main impoundment at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge Snow geese at dawn. Snow geese often "blast off" just before or after dawn, leaving the ponds where they rest for…

adminDecember 23, 2008

Birds Bosque del Apache New Mexico

Sandhill Crane in Flight, Bosque del Apache

I had hoped to get a few good photos of a single sandhill crane (Grus canadensis) in flight during our visit to Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. Sandhill cranes are relatively large birds, meaning they are relatively easy to find in the viewfinder and they fly relatively slowly, helpful…

adminDecember 22, 2008

Birds Bosque del Apache New Mexico

Golden Crane, Bosque del Apache

Here is another sandhill crane (Grus canadensis), backlit by a reflected gold sunset, wading through one of the crane pools at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. A sandhill crane, standing in still waters with rich gold sunset light reflected around it. Image ID: 21805 Species: Sandhill crane, Grus canadensis…

adminDecember 21, 2008

California Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird

La Jolla Pelicans

I went down to La Jolla last week to check out the brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus). There is a fence blocking access to the cliffs now, which is unfortunate and a real shame. When I was going to UCSD (many years ago) we would leap into the ocean from…

adminDecember 20, 2008

Birds Bosque del Apache New Mexico

Snow Geese on Pond, Bosque del Apache

Each morning I would watch the predawn blast off of snow geese from Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge's main impoundment. Each time was impressive. Afterward, I would move to the crane pools, hoping to watch the cranes take off as the sun reached them and warmed them up. One…

adminDecember 19, 2008

Birds Bosque del Apache New Mexico

Blastoff, Bosque del Apache

Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge is famous for its early morning "blast off", a stunning event in which thousands of snow geese (Chen caerulescens) take to the skies. It does not happen every morning, nor does it happen at the same time on those mornings on which it takes…

adminDecember 18, 2008

Birds Bosque del Apache New Mexico

Snow Goose in Flight, Bosque del Apache

Our first few days at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge did not yield great opportunities to photograph individual snow geese (Chen caerulescens) in flight, primarily because the geese were spending the bulk of their day in the far northern corn fields, far out of reach of even the longest…

adminDecember 16, 2008

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