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20100130_Spectacled_Bear.jpg

Spectacled Bear (Tremarctos ornatus)

(1049 views)
by Terry Costales

The Spectacled Bear is the only bear that comes from South America. I hope this unique and beautiful endangered bear survives.

20100318_Raft_of_Sea_Otter.jpg

Raft of Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris)

(1041 views)
by Terry Costales

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 . . .

20101213_Coy_Capybara_Santa_Barbara_Zoo.jpg

Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris)

(1040 views)
by Terry Costales

A capybara peeking coyly from behind its giant palm frond.

20100402_Sea_Lion_Swimming.jpg

Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus)

(1039 views)
by Terry Costales

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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Macaws

(1038 views)
by Terry Costales

Two Macaws preening one another. A very intimate, gentle moment in a birds' life.

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Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)

(1037 views)
by Terry Costales

Prehistoric looking pelicans sun and preen in the winter sun.

20100616_Snowy_Egret_Stalked_Great_Egret.jpg

Snowy Egret and Great Egret

(1036 views)
by Terry Costales

The larger Great Egret was stalked by the smaller Snowy Egret.

20100612_Brown_Pelican_Can_Fly.jpg

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis )

(1036 views)
by Terry Costales

It surprises me that a big bird like a Pelican can fly so effortlessly.

20100610_Brown_Pelican_By_fisherman.jpg

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis )

(1036 views)
by Terry Costales

The fisherman hadn't noticed that a pelican had just landed next to him on the pier.

20100129_Black-Crowned_Night_Heron.jpg

Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)

(1036 views)
by Terry Costales

An adult night heron in full breeding plumage showing off its pink legs which are yellow the rest of the year.

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Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)

(1036 views)
by Terry Costales

The pelican glides effortlessly over the surface of the sea.

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Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)

(1036 views)
by Terry Costales

A flock of pelicans flying in typical formation with Anacapa island in the background.

20100526_Sea_Otter_With_Large_Shell.jpg

Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris)

(1035 views)
by Terry Costales

A shell was almost the size of the otter's head, but was no match for its appetite.

20100522_Brown_Pelicans_Moss_Landing.jpg

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus)

(1035 views)
by Terry Costales

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.

20100522_Brown_Pelicans_Perched_Fishing_Equipment.jpg

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus)

(1035 views)
by Terry Costales

A large group of pelicans were perched on the fish processing equipment.

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Black-crowned Night Heron

(1035 views)
by Terry Costales

This bedraggled juvenile black-crowned night heron was perched on the dock near the boat we were going to use. I hoped it wasn't a harbinger of how our trip would turn out.

20100602_Brown_Pelican_On_Fishing_Boat.jpg

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus)

(1035 views)
by Terry Costales

Pelican posed aboard an old fishing boat.

20100322_Brown_Pelican_Head.jpg

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis )

(1035 views)
by Terry Costales

This is a close-up of the same Pelican I posted yesterday,

20100327_Brown_Pelican_Head_On.jpg

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)

(1035 views)
by Terry Costales

Here is a view of a pelican you don't usually see. A head on view of its enormous bill.

20100321_Brown_Pelican.jpg

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)

(1035 views)
by Terry Costales

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.

20100319_Sea_Otter_Groomed.jpg

Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris)

(1034 views)
by Terry Costales

Here is an older otter, recognized by the light colored fur on its face. It is grooming itself after eating. Otters must have one of the cutest faces in the animal kingdom

20100614_Killdeer_eggs_Oakland_Middle_Harbor_Park.jpg

Killdeer eggs

(1034 views)
by Terry Costales

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.

20100615_Killdeer_Faked_Being_Hurt.jpg

Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)

(1034 views)
by Terry Costales

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.

20100523_California_Sea_Lion_Sleepy.jpg

California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus)

(1033 views)
by Terry Costales

Portrait of a large male sea lion sleepily surveying his domain.

20101202_Blue_and_Gold_Macaw_Santa_Barbara_Zoo.jpg

Blue-and-Gold Macaw (Ara ararauna)

(1033 views)
by Terry Costales

A loud, large, parrot looking quite handsome.

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