Loons seem to have been moving through in more consistent numbers here at Ballona Creek the past couple of weeks. Common, Red-throated and most recently photographed a Pacific Loon starting to show breeding plumage:
A Black Oystercatcher kept playing peek-a-boo with me as I was photographing the Pacific Loon:
And the Caspian Terns were still chasing each other around as usual!
Here’s the rest of the album.
I headed out to Ballona this afternoon to see what spring migration has brought to the beach. Nothing new but the Terns were out and about dancing and trying to steal each other’s food.
Sanderling’s were in quite large numbers as they’re working their way north toward Alaska and they are starting to show a lot more of their breeding plumage now.
The rest of the images are available here.
These guys have done their best to avoid me the ENTIRE winter they have been chilling at Del Rey Lagoon in Playa del Rey. After 8 or 9 unsuccessful attempts to photograph them, they finally appeared before me one rainy afternoon a month or so ago. I got some pictures but let’s just say they weren’t what I considered “A+”.
What or who are the Three Muskateers you’re asking? Well…to be specific, they are a trio of 3 geese that have hung out together the entire winter here in Ballona. The largest of the bunch being a typical “Canada Goose”, the second, a sub-species of the prior, a “Cackling Goose” and the third being a “Greater White-fronted Goose.”
They couldn’t avoid me any longer… As I was trekking up Ballona Creek, approx 1/4 mile east of the Pacific St. bridge, I stumbled upon them. I hadn’t heard of anyone seeing them in the past month so I had just assumed they had departed for greener pastures. I guess I was wrong! They posed for me for a few minutes, honked and then flew off, clearly not happy I had finally gotten some decent photos.
Feeling satisfied that I had finally “nailed” those suckers, I headed back to the beach to try and get some better shots of the Caspian Terns. I had a Red-throated Loon fly-by – he wanted to land but the UCLA rowing team was out in full-force and try he did, circling a few times, finally giving up and heading south.
On the way back to the car I had a House Sparrow gathering nesting material. I typically don’t think twice about photographing something as common as a House Sparrow but the lighting was great and it looked like a good shot.
Feel free to check out the rest of the gallery.
The Terns have arrived en masse @ Ballona signifying spring has arrived! Good numbers of Elegant Terns, Royal Terns, Caspian Terns and Forster’s Terns.
More pictures, here.