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(369 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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(369 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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The pelican glides effortlessly over the surface of the sea.
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A large group of pelicans were perched on the fish processing equipment.
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The fisherman hadn't noticed that a pelican had just landed next to him on the pier.
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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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Here is a view of a pelican you don't usually see. A head on view of its enormous bill.
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A flock of pelicans flying in typical formation with Anacapa island in the background.
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Pelican posed aboard an old fishing boat.
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It surprises me that a big bird like a Pelican can fly so effortlessly.
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Prehistoric looking pelicans sun and preen in the winter sun.
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This is a close-up of the same Pelican I posted yesterday,
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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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(364 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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(363 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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(363 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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The larger Great Egret was stalked by the smaller Snowy Egret.
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Two Macaws preening one another. A very intimate, gentle moment in a birds' life.
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(362 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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(362 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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(362 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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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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A very large, old Leopard Tortoise sunned itself that afternoon.
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A very large tortoise with an imposing look.
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(356 views)
This is one otter trying to persuade another otter to share its meal. It wasn't very successful.
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