Tag: Photo

Pelican above the bluffs

Walked down to the pier on a gloomy day while my car was in the shop. People were pretty good at spreading out and wearing masks (prob. because the city started fining people back in summer).

Among other shorebirds, I saw a group of a half dozen pelicans whirling around and diving for fish.

#birds #sky #pelican #photo #gloomy

On Photog.Social
On iNaturalist (crop)

Meanwhile, in the more curated parts of the gardens

Meanwhile, in the more curated parts of the gardens…

(The sphere in the distance is a sculpture by Doris Sung called “Fuller,” inspired by Buckminster Fuller. I always think of it as the buckyball.)

#photo #art #sunny #fountain #pineapple #sculpture #sphere #flowers #pink #lily #buckyball

On Photog.Social

Some wildlife I spotted on a hike today.

Some wildlife I spotted on a hike today. It was really nice in the shade, but it was also very hilly, and uncomfortably warm in the sun. I ended up staggering back to the car at the end.

The yellow and black bird is some sort of oriole. The black and white one is a black phoebe. I think the rabbit is a desert cottontail.

#nature #birds #rabbits #animals #wildlife #hiking #photo

On Photog.Social

Today I spotted some of the feral parakeets

Today I spotted some of the feral parakeets that live in the suburbs around here. I hear them squawking as they fly overhead almost daily, but it’s been a while since I’ve seen them, and even longer since I’ve seen them close enough and still enough to photograph!

While out walking today I found three of them perched on a cable up above the street. After a minute or two, one of them flew over to the top section of a nearby palm tree.

#photo #birds #parakeet

Parakeet on a cable.

Parakeet on a palm tree.

On Photog.Social

Some bluebirds spotted at a park

Some #bluebirds spotted at a park. There’s a corner that’s landscaped with plants that are a bit better suited for more birds and butterflies than the usual giant lawn with a few trees, and I’ve seen bluebirds, phoebes, towhees and others in the area.

I’m not sure if they’re female or juvenile (only adult males are bright bright blue), but you can see the blue on their wings…and how well their bodies blend in with the ground.

#birds #nature #photo

On Photog.Social

Perching bluebird on iNaturalist
Ground-level bluebird on iNaturalist and alternate shot on Flickr

Some butterflies spotted over the last few days

Some #butterflies spotted over the last few days:

A monarch that nicely paused on the grass with its wings open, long enough to catch a clear photo.

A swallowtail that I sort of caught in flight, at a distance. It’s very low-resolution, but it’s also clearly identifiable!

A cabbage white that I was able to catch with a zoom lens.

#photo #nature

On Photog.Social
Monarch on iNaturalist
Cabbage White on iNaturalist
Swallowtail on iNaturalist

This northern mockingbird flew across the street and landed on a lawn.

This northern mockingbird flew across the street and landed on a lawn. While I got the camera out, it flew up to a rooftop, then flew across the street again to land on a signpost, where it stretched its wings briefly (as seen here).

Fun fact: mockingbirds are able to recognize individual humans, and their ability to mimic sounds extends beyond birds to cats, dogs, and even car alarms.

A small brown and white bird with a long beak perched on top of a signpost with its wings half-spread.

On Photog.Social
On Flickr
On iNaturalist