Tag Archives: bill

Egret with Fish, Whalers Cove

Egret with Fish, Whalers Cove

Egret with Fish, Whalers Cove. Point Lobos State Reserve, California. November 30, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

An egret raises its wings after catching a fish in the kelp beds at Whalers Cove, Point Lobos State Reserve, California.

Another in the egret series from Whalers Cover at Point Lobos. This bird had just caught the fish you see in its beak and was making a quick move across the kelp in which it had been fishing before swallowing the fish.

keywords: egret, wings, beak, bill, fish, catch, food, wildlife, kelp, bed, feathers, tail, water, bay, pacific, ocean, cove, whalers, point lobos, state, reserve, park, california, usa, monterey, peninsula, carmel, big sur, coast, shore, nature, stock

Egret Alights, Whaler’s Cove

Egret Alights

Egret Alights, Whaler’s Cove. Point Lobos State Reserve, California. November 30, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

An egret flies close to the kelp covered surface of Whaler’s Cove at Point Lobos State Reserve, California.

As I arrived at Whaler’s Cove I was hoping to perhaps be able to photograph sea otters up close. Although this was a high surf day along the coast, Whalers Cove is sheltered and I had heard that it is a good place to look for wildlife. After parking my car I did not see any otters, but I immediately saw this egret hunting in the kelp right next to the road. I grabbed the long lens and found a comfortable spot close by and began observing and photographing. The bird was apparently hunting for small fish in the kelp bed. It stood on top of the kelp and would occasionally make a lunge into the water, on one occasion coming up with a fish in its bill.

 One of the things I like most about this photograph is the shadow of the bird’s curving neck cast on the translucent feathers of its wing.

keywords: egret, bird, in, flight, wildlife, wing, nature, flap, shadow, neck, beak, bill, kelp, bed, whalers, cove, point lobos, state, reserve, park, california, usa, monterey, peninsula, carmel, coast, shore, bay, pacific, ocean, stock, feathers

Gull on Rock

Gull on Rock

Gull on Rock. Point Lobos, California. November 30, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A gull rests on the point of a shoreline rock at Point Lobos, California.

I thought I was finished shooting for the day and I was hiking back to my car to head home when I walked past this gull. It obligingly stood on this picturesque pillar of conglomerate rock for at least 15 minutes, as if posing for me – so I could hardly pass up the opportunity to stop and photograph.

And isn’t that an amazing rock!

keywords: gull, seagull, bird, pelagic, shore, sea, conglomerate, rock, perch, beak, bill, orange, white, surf, coast, wildlife, nature, california, usa, point lobos, state, reserve, park, monterey, peninsula, big sur, pacific, ocean, stock

Seagull and Chick

Seagull and Chick
Seagull and Chick. Near Pismo Beach, California. July 20, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A seagull tends to her chick on offshore rocks near Pismo Beach, California.

keywords: gull, sea, seagull, bird, shorebird, chick, baby, youth, beak, plant, flower, rock, bill, nature, animal, wildlife, pismo beach, california, usa, stock, parent