The Pelicans in La Jolla were fantastic in December and early January but have been spotty for me since. One reason is that the wave action died down. Large waves make for great seabird photography since the water movement pushes the birds higher up on the cliffs and also fosters large groups repeatedly taking off, banking and landing. Another reason is the now year-round closure of Point La Jolla. Because tourists are no longer walking all over the Point La Jolla many more seabirds and sea lions are occupying it. The closure has given the pelicans another flat, relatively protected space to settle down, and at times now Goldfish Point will be devoid of pelicans and cormorants while Point La Jolla will be full. The photography angles at Point La Jolla are inferior to Goldfish Point because it is much more difficult to create a pleasing out-of-focus blue ocean background at Point La Jolla. Yes, it can be done but it is more difficult. We also had some rain that keep my camera inactive. Some folks photograph in the rain. I prefer warm early morning light and just wait for those days.
Here are a handful of my favorite seabirds shots from late January and early February. Some of them are cluttered in the same vein as my earlier group of cluttered compositions that, while compositionally dense, are somehow appealing (at least to me) because they hint at the other birds around the focal animal. I like the variations of winter plumage in January: some of the birds have white heads (no yellow!) and the breeding hind neck (brown) while others have a yellow-orange pouch rather than the bright red (is it just a faded red, or some kind of morph?). A few of these were shot at Point La Jolla while I was occupied with body surfing sea lions at La Jolla Cove but most were at Goldfish Point. Cheers, and thanks for looking!
Brown pelican flying while entangled in plastic bag wrapped around its neck. I believe the pelican probably became entangled in the bag by mistaking the floating plastic for food and diving on it, spearing it in such a way that the bag has lodged around the pelican's neck.
Image ID: 40093
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, Pelecanus occidentalis
Location: La Jolla, California
California Brown Pelican Flying in Front of a Big Wave in La Jolla.
Image ID: 40098
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, Pelecanus occidentalis
Location: La Jolla, California
Brown Pelican in Flight Approaching Crowded Ocean Cliffs to Land.
Image ID: 40103
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, Pelecanus occidentalis
Location: La Jolla, California
Brown Pelican Carry Nesting Material as it Flies over the Ocean.
Image ID: 40122
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, Pelecanus occidentalis
Location: La Jolla, California
Brown Pelican Flying with Wings Spread Wide in Front of a Whitewash Ocean.
Image ID: 40101
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, Pelecanus occidentalis
Location: La Jolla, California
Brown pelican in flight, spreading wings wide to slow in anticipation of landing on seacliffs.
Image ID: 40231
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Brown Pelican Flying with Wings Spread Wide in Front of a Whitewash Ocean.
Image ID: 40107
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, Pelecanus occidentalis
Location: La Jolla, California
Endangered Brown Pelican flying over crowded ocean cliff looking for a place to land.
Image ID: 40117
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, Pelecanus occidentalis
Location: La Jolla, California
Brown Pelican in Flight Approaching Crowded Ocean Cliffs to Land.
Image ID: 40129
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, Pelecanus occidentalis
Location: La Jolla, California
I consider January the best month to observe brown pelicans in their winter plumage. There are many with breeding colors, so much variation. It is easy to find perfect ones to frame up against the ocean with perfect portrait light.
Perfect California brown pelican breeding plumage portrait, with brown hind neck, yellow head and bright red throat, perched on rock over the Pacific Ocean in La Jolla.
Image ID: 40240
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
White headed morph of a California brown pelican in breeding plumage portrait, with brown hind neck and bright red throat but lacking yellow head.
Image ID: 40111
Species: Brown pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, Pelecanus occidentalis
Location: La Jolla, California
California Brown Pelican claps its jaws mandibles, sometimes rapidly several times, perhaps to dislodge debris or simply because its fun and feels good. This is not the same as the "yawn" that precedes a head throw. Adult winter breeding plumage with brown hind-neck.
Image ID: 40239
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
California brown pelican breeding plumage portrait, with brown hind neck, yellow head and bright red throat.
Image ID: 40112
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, Pelecanus occidentalis
Location: La Jolla, California
California brown pelican breeding plumage portrait, with brown hind neck, yellow head but with a yellow-orange throat instead of red.
Image ID: 40113
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, Pelecanus occidentalis
Location: La Jolla, California
