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San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the urban setting of Irvine, California, next to John Wayne Airport. It consists of 300 acres of wetlands and serves as part of a water treatment system. It is home to the Sea and Sage Audubon Society.
Here, three American White Pelicans return to their evening roost, as a jet takes off from John Wayne Airport, all in front of a sliver of a setting moon. (you may click to enlarge the photo)
A female Mallard gives a quack as the sun sets at San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary.
Did you know that the loud, continuous, descending quacking associated with Mallards is only produced by the female? Males quack, but not in the same manner.
An immature Cooper's Hawk flies over the San Joaquin Marsh, in Irvine, California. Photographed about six weeks ago.
Part of the tradition of Day of the Dead is visiting the graves of family members. In Mexico, however, this is not a somber event. Some families will make a day of it, and bring food.
To me, what typifies the Mexican attitude towards Day of the Dead most is that mariachi singers stroll the grounds of the cemeteries and families will hire them to play a song or two in remembrance.
To me, the complex mixture that is the soul of Mexico is captured in the beauty of one well-played mariachi song, sorrow and joy in one melody. It is entirely fitting that this should accompany such an occasion.
Here are a few more photographs from Day of the Dead in Tijuana. These were taken in two neighboring cemeteries west of downtown Tijuana. Marigolds are the traditional flower of Day of the Dead.
Reading about Day of the Dead in Tijuana, I learned of a historical soldier who has achieved legendary status. Juan Castillo Morales was stationed in Tijuana in the 1930s, and was convicted of the rape and murder of an eight year old girl. He was executed by firing squad.
Many, however, believed him innocent, and soon many came to believe that his spirit, in a saint-like fashion, was able to intercede in their affairs if they prayed to him or left him offerings. He is especially called upon to help undocumented migrants cross the border!
You can read more about him here.
He has not just one, but two shrines erected for him in the Puerta Blanca Cemetery in Tijuana, where people pray to him, and leave him candles, flowers, and the like. On the Day of the Dead, his shrines are quite busy. He is referred to most often as Juan Soldado (Soldier John).
Juan is surrounded by flowers and plaques attesting to his miracles.
A second shrine:
His only statue not surrounded by flowers or candles!
The cemetery is one of two found on the street Venustiana Carranza, just west of downtown Tijuana.
Last weekend was Day of the Dead in Mexico. This tradition of honoring dead loved ones is a pre-Columbian tradition with some Catholicism mixed in. In central and southern Mexico these traditions are stronger and more colorful, but it does not go unobserved in Tijuana. I spent Sunday in Tijuana, visiting the Mercado Hidalgo, where some festivities were held, as well as two cemeteries close to downtown Tijuana.
I'll post some of my photos over the next few days.
Here are some traditional Day of the Dead items for sale in Mercado Hidalgo.
In the center of the Mercado there was a large shrine erected. Typically these shrines will have photos of the loved ones, traditional items like skulls or skeletons, as well as the person's favorite foods, drinks, or other items from their lives.
Along with the usual sugar skulls for sale in the market, there were these slightly macabre sugar coffins!
On Thursday I went for a walk in South Hills Park in Glendora, California, a suburb of Los Angeles, hoping to photograph any birds I would find in the vast area of open space. I was not very successful photographing birds, but did enjoy the sunset. Here is the skyline of downtown Los Angeles, 28 miles distant, framed by the power lines that help keep the city alive.
An unidentified duck flies to its evening roost, photographed recently at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine, California.
