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top 25 items viewed per day
Week reset Sunday, Month reset the 1st, Year reset 1/1 |
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(223 views)
Here is a view of a pelican you don't usually see. A head on view of its enormous bill.
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(221 views)
Prehistoric looking pelicans sun and preen in the winter sun.
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(221 views)
This is a close-up of the same Pelican I posted yesterday,
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(221 views)
For an unforgettable wildlife experience, I highly recommend the Elkhorn Slough Safari in Moss Landing. We saw over one hundred sea otters, almost eighty harbor seals and dozens of sea lions very up close and personal.
This photo shows a raft of about eighty sea otters. Raft is the official label for a bunch of otters hanging out together, looking like a raft.
In addition to sea mammals, I also photographed sixteen species of birds. The trip was two hours of wildlife bliss. There were a few . . . | |
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(220 views)
It was beautiful day in Santa Cruz and I had been photographing the sea lions when this pelican landed a few feet away on the pier railing.
If there was ever a compelling visual argument for birds being the modern descendants of dinosaurs, it's the pelican. I could easily imagine them flying just out of reach above the snapping jaws of some aquatic sea monster.
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(220 views)
The pelican glides effortlessly over the surface of the sea.
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(219 views)
A large group of pelicans were perched on the fish processing equipment.
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(219 views)
It surprises me that a big bird like a Pelican can fly so effortlessly.
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(219 views)
This photo shows a sea lion swimming in the late afternoon sunlight beneath the wharf in Santa Cruz. Lovely light on a lovely animal.
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(218 views)
These two pelicans were one pair of dozens loitering around the marina, all waiting for a fishy opportunity. The one on the left was an immature bird which had not grown into its adult plumage.
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(218 views)
Pelican posed aboard an old fishing boat.
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(218 views)
A flock of pelicans flying in typical formation with Anacapa island in the background.
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(217 views)
A great egret at the edge of the bay looking for food. It is a very graceful bird whether walking or flying.
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(216 views)
To our left as we exited the harbor and entered the slough, we saw an old pier covered with sea lions. We slowly motored past them. It was quite satisfying to be at their level and so close to them. I feel like I ended up with a family portrait instead of a wildlife photo.
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(216 views)
This was the second killdeer nest I'd found. The first one was on gravel and this one on flowerbed mulch. Both times the nests were easily overlooked and the eggs hard to spot.
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(215 views)
Harbor seals are close to the top of the cute list, right up there next to sea otters.
We saw close to eighty harbor seals that day, most of them lying on shore watching us watching them.
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(215 views)
The larger Great Egret was stalked by the smaller Snowy Egret.
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(215 views)
Sea Lions swam in and out of sunlight and shade beneath the wharf in Santa Cruz.
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(214 views)
This killdeer tried to lure me away from her nest and eggs fluttering her wings as if injured. Ironically, the only reason I knew her nest was nearby was because of the mother killdeer's behavior. She faked being hurt and then looked back to see if I was buying it.
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(214 views)
A female sea lion tried to appear very demure.
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(214 views)
Two Harbor Seal were of quite different fur colors but all the whiskers were blonde.
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(214 views)
Sea Otters appeared to spend a great deal of their time grooming themselves. They use their bodies as tables, so have to keep food scraps washed off. While they clean, they also push and sometimes blow air bubbles into their fur. The extra air trapped in their fur contributes to their buoyancy and increases insulation.
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(214 views)
The fisherman hadn't noticed that a pelican had just landed next to him on the pier.
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(214 views)
A very young sea lion was sleepily curious about his observers.
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(214 views)
Wilson's Warblers are numerous in California, yet this was the first one I had ever seen. Of course, since seeing my first, I now suddenly seem to find them on every outing.
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