Estero Beach, as its name implies, is located on a large and beautiful estuary south of Ensenada, Baja California, a 70 mile drive south from Tijuana.
This sunset was taken on the second night of two-night stay in March of this year.
This will be the last of the series of photos from this trip to Estero Beach, one of my very favorite spots. I hope to return soon!
A Snowy Egret, with the pink clouds of sunrise reflected in the water.
Photographed in March of this year at Estero Beach, south of Ensenada, Baja California.
This Short-billed Dowitcher was photographed at Estero Beach, Baja California, in March of this year.
The bird is lit with the golden light just before sunset, and the reflections in the water are from a nearby building as well as the blue sky.
This photo of an American Pipit was taken a few feet away from the photos in yesterday's post, in Estero Beach.
I photographed this Say's Phoebe at Estero Beach last month.
I think it's unusually dark for a Say's Phoebe. I haven't found any photos online that show a bird this dark. I could be the lighting, or it could be that the bird may have been wet- there was a sprinkler running nearby (though I don't see any water droplets at high magnification). The subspecies of Say's Phoebe found in Baja California is supposed to be lighter in color, not darker, than other Say's Phoebes.
It was, however, making Say's Phoebe calls, and there was another Say's Phoebe nearby. The final photo was taken one day earlier at the same location, which may or may not be the same bird, but it looks a bit more like a typical Say's Phoebe.
I lay on my belly in the grass to get these eye-level shots.
A preening Black-necked Stilt, photographed last month at Estero Beach, south of Ensenada, Baja California.
One more photo of the Reddish Egret, this time a close-up:
The Reddish Egret is uncommon in California (except at Bolsa Chica!) but more common south of the border.
There were at least two or three when I visited Estero Beach last month.
Here is one doing its typical dance to catch fish:
Caught one! A pretty small one... (tap or click to enlarge)
Don't play with your food?
Dancing again, far away:
The Tricolored Heron is a bird which is unusual in Southern California, but more abundant south of the border.
Here is one at Estero Beach, in March of this year.
Another Greater Yellowlegs, photographed at Estero Beach in March of this year.
