Hang Glider over Black's Beach

Hang Glider high up above the cliffs of Black's Beach, La Jolla, California.  I really enjoyed the perspective on this one!

Hang Gliders on a Hot Day

Hang Gliders lining up along the cliffs of La Jolla.  These were both dual seaters with the back person steering and controlling the hang glider and the front person there to enjoy the ride.  Below them, the famous sands of Black's Beach.

What's All the Stink About?

Sea Lion Pup, Zalophus californianus, La Jolla, California  The residents of those gorgeous homes and luxury condominiums and the patrons at the restaurants off the cliffs of La Jolla have been complaining about the stink caused by the sea lion and bird poop.  Notably, the birds had been there, nesting on the cliffs, for years.  However, in the last few years, the sea lions moved up onto the rocks, claiming it as a prime basking spot.  Well, sea lions and birds do what sea lions and birds do, and the rocks became a bit pungent.  The city tried spraying the rocks with bacteria to digest some of the smelly left overs; however, short of on ongoing spraying program, that was just temporary relief.  Soooo....the city opened up the fence to the cliff area, by installing a gate, for the tourists, photographers and others to walk down to take a closer look.  That seems to have cleared out most of the sea lions and, sadly, almost all of the nesting cormorants as well, greatly reducing the smell.  In fact, there were only two cormorant nests on the cliff where there used to be dozens of them.  This little sea lion pup, however, was still there posing for the camera and, gosh, isn't he cute?

Happy Valentines Day to You and That Special Someone

Two California Brown Pelicans, Pelecanus occidentalis, in breeding plummage. These two are looking a little cozy. Wishing you and that special valentine all the best! -A

Sea Lions Snuggle

California sea lion pup, Zalophus californianus, sprawled out with his buddies and his mom, on flipper touching each one just to be sure they're there. How do you tell the difference between a sea lion and a seal? If you go back to my previous post of a seal, you'll see that seals have little holes for ears but sealions have these cute little flappy ears like a dachshund. Also, sea lion feet still face downward allowing them to walk on them. Seals more or less squirm across the sand or rocks. Thus, you'll see sea lions further up on the rocks than you will normally find a seal. Still, it's amazing where either of them will pop up (on top of buoys for example or quite a distance up rocky shorelines). Finally, if you see them from a distance, sea lions will be sprawled all over on top of each other and are really social. Seals tend to like a bit of space between each other and will actually claw at other seals that get too close. As it turns out, both the seals and the sea lions are pupping right now so you can make quite a photo safari of the whole event!

Just Too Cute

Harbor Seal or Pacific Common Seal, Phoca vitulina v. richardsi. This seal pup was trying to make comfortable a little nest in the eel grass at low tide. It worked pretty well until a large wave came by and swept him back into the water.

Foggy Day

Foggy day in La Jolla. The marine layer is a regular occurence along the California coastline and it adds to a rather eerie effect as you gaze down the pilings into the fog.

It's Springtime in Southern California: Brandt's Cormorant with Chicks

Brandt's Cormorant, Phalacrocorax penicillatus, feeding her chicks; La Jolla, California. It's Springtime in Southern California and there are babies everywhere. Baby birds, baby seals, baby sea lions! This mother cormorant certainly has a handful (beakful?)! Shown here, the mother cormorant is regurgitating food for her chicks. Many of the neighboring bird's chicks had not hatched yet so this bird had a substantial head start on the flock. Perhaps having chicks well ahead of the rest of the flock will help those chicks compete for food. In any case, it's truly a fun time of year.

Brandt's Cormorants are found along the Pacific coast of North America from Alaska down through the Gulf of California. They were named after Johann Friedrich von Brandt, who originally described the type species from preserved birds brought back to St. Petersburg. In California, they feed on rockfish which they pursue with great speed and agility, enabled by their broad, webbed feet and sleek bodies. The blue throat patch is only present during the breeding season.

Sea Lions Looking On

California sea lions, Zalophus californianus, looking longingly back at the rock they were sunning on in La Jolla, California. Somebody walked out into the water near the rock they were sunning on and there was a mass exodus into the water. After the fact, the sea lions realized they could not get back onto their favorite rock until high tide, and so they sat, staring longingly at their rock.

The Sea Lion Snuggle

California sea lion pups,Zalophus californianus,La Jolla, California. California sea lions sure like to snuggle! While seals normally keep a respectful distance from each other, you will find sea lions piled all over each other as they sun on a rock. In case you're wondering, the three easiest ways to tell a sea lion from a seal (no offense to any purists out there) are:

1) Sea lions have little floppy ears that look like floppy chihuahua ears; Seals have ear holes without the large flaps;
2) Sea lion's flippers angle downward and can be walked upon. This is particularly noticeable when comparing the rear flippers of sea lions to those of seals. A seal's rear flippers go straight back from the body while a sea lions go downwards; and
3) Because of the flipper differences, sea lions can, more or less, walk on their flippers. Seals undulate their body kind of like a big inch worm, using their flippers for traction.

Harbor Seal Tete a Tete

Mother and Baby Harbor Seal, Phoca vitulina v. richardsi, La Jolla, California. The seals were out on the beach in strength today, complete with many newborn pups, some with their umbilical cords still attached. This pup is greeting his mom with a little nose rub.

Icarus

Woe be to Icarus for daring to fly too close to the sun, so close that his wax wings melted in the heated fury. This para-glider was sailing along the cliffs of La Jolla the other day, floating gently past the sun so that it was eclipsed and I found myself looking up into the shadow of the glowing red sails.

The Pelicans and I

I hiked down the cliff to Black's Beach the other day. I most enjoy that beach during the cold winter months since the beach is nearly deserted and I can spend time photographing the birds. Between the weather and the hike down the cliff face, the place stays pretty empty during the Winter. True to form, the pelicans and I had the beach all to ourselves. The pyrite-laden sand sparkled gold and black, forming little wave patterns along the beach and thousands of pismo clams glistened in the waves. A light fog was slowly rolling in, adding a dull haze through which you could see the steep sandstone cliffs, carved in dramatic formations with the La Jolla pier visible in the distance. Wow, what a day.

As for the LSAT, well it's done and over with. I did fine. Fine meaning likely good enough to get into the law school I'm applying to. However, it's all on a curve so I won't really know for a month or so. Either way, it's done and I'm chilling out. I can get back to sleeping at night instead of worrying about the LSAT and the Nikon D200 is back out of the drawer. The two of us are going to do some serious picture snapping(big silly grin). I'm already looking forward to it.

La Jolla Sunset

There was the prettiest sunset over La Jolla the other day. Too bad I had to stay inside and study. I still managed to sneak out long enough to snap a few pictures. This is the view from the back patio at the Hilton Torrey Pines. Wow...