#ThrowbackThursday to March 2014, when the waves of a storm system pounded the seawall of La Jolla's "Children's Pool" — and it all disappeared in this long exposure. :)
For #MeerMittwoch here's a sunrise with colorful pink clouds over the ocean and the strange coastal rock formations at Windansea Beach in La Jolla, California; photographed in February 2024.
Here's an immature Heermann's Gull (Larus heermanni) that I photographed in La Jolla this morning. Another photographer ID'ed it first and when I passed the knowledge on, one lady replied "Oh! That's a lifer for me!" — the Audubon Society's Bird Festival is in town! :D
This little cutie is a Black Turnstone (Arenaria melanocephala). They have a VERY beautiful pattern on the upper side of their wings, which is only visible in flight. I lacked the motivation and dedication to try and photograph it, today. :P Maybe some other time...
These two are Royal Terns (Thalasseus maximus) — the bird in focus is in non-breeding plumage, with a white forehead; the bird in the background has the black breeding plumage on the head.
This Spotted Sandpiper was fun to watch, as it did its bouncy "dance moves" and then got down really low, sneaking up on some tiny bug (he successfully caught it!). :)
This is a juvenile Western Gull, for comparison with the first photo in this thread. Its plumage is more checkered and the feet are pink instead of dark grey on the juvenile Heermann's Gull.
I'm ending this thread of bird photos from today with a Brandt's Cormorant in flight, carrying nesting material. The bird is slowing down its flight in mid air here as it approaches the cliff with the nesting site. Cheers & good night from San Diego.