Photo ABCs

Brandt's Cormorant Eggs

At least one of the Brandt's Cormorant nests at La Jolla Cove now has eggs.

Here a cormorant flaps its wings before resuming nest-sitting. This was photographed yesterday morning.

 

Peregrine Falcon

A Peregrine Falcon flutters its feathers and wings.

This falcon was perched next to a busy trail above La Jolla Cove for at least a number of hours last weekend. Its talons are red with blood, apparently it had eaten recently and saw no reason to leave its perch as it digested its meal.

Black Phoebe

The Black Phoebe is an extremely widespread bird year-round in the southwest United States and Mexico, and rarely warrants a photo, but the background for this bird was so pleasing it was hard to resist! The green background was formed by the mossy rocks.

Photographed last week in La Jolla.

Spotted Sandpiper

The Spotted Sandpiper is one of my (many) favorite birds. It is cute as it bobs its tail continuously while feeding.

The Spotted Sandpiper only has spots when breeding, so winter birds, like this one in La Jolla, do not have spots.

Black Turnstone

The Black Turnstone breeds in Alaska, and in the winter is found along rocky shores from Alaska to Baja California.

Here is one feeding in the eelgrass in the tidepools south of La Jolla Cove. (tap or click to enlarge)

Brandt's Cormorant

More pictures of Brandt's Cormorants with nesting material.

After arriving to the cliffs with a mouthful of seaweed for building a nest:

He shakes of the excess water!

 

Brandt's Cormorants

Here is the scene at La Jolla Cove, where at least two dozen Brandt's Cormorant nests are being constructed just feet from a busy sidewalk.

Here's a view looking down on a few of the nests.

Here is a cormorant flying in with nesting material (the same bird and material as in the post from the other day).

Brandt's Cormorant

A Brandt's Cormorant with nesting material. According to the Audubon website, the male gathers most of the nesting material, and the female does most of the nest building. (tap or click to enlarge)

Brandt's Cormorant

Brandt's Cormorants, engaged in courtship behavior on their nest. Photographed a few days ago at La Jolla Cove.

Brandt's Cormorant

A colony of Brandt's Cormorants is now nesting within a few feet of a busy sidewalk at La Jolla Cove. This gives an incredible opportunity to see these birds in breeding plumage doing interesting behaviors, such as this bird displaying, hoping to attract or impress its mate.