Torrey Pines State Reserve

Birds San Diego

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) at Torrey Pines State Reserve, San Diego

Peregrin falcons (Falco peregrinus) have nested on the sheer cliffs overlooking the ocean at Torrey Pines State Reserve for years. This past spring I made a few visits to try to photograph them. Peregrins are considered the fastest animal on Earth, mostly for the 200 mph speeds they attain while…

Phil CollaJuly 28, 2023

Beautiful Views of San Diego La Jolla

The Gold Coast of La Jolla, Scripps and Torrey Pines at Sunset

The Gold Coast of La Jolla is, at sunset, literally that: a long stretch of spectacular golden-hued beach and sea cliffs, extending from La Jolla Shores, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, north along Black's Beach and Torrey Pines State Reserve up towards Del Mar. Here the Gold Coast is seen in…

Phil CollaFebruary 2, 2022

Beautiful Views of San Diego San Diego

Golden Winter Sunset along Torrey Pines State Beach and Sea Cliffs

Winter brings the finest coastal views in San Diego, and this evening's image of the Torrey Pines sea cliffs and beach, at sunset on a King Tide (the lowest of the low tides of the year), is an example. During the depths of winter, San Diego brings mild evening weather…

Phil CollaJanuary 23, 2022

Beautiful Views of San Diego California San Diego

Torrey Pines State Reserve and Broken Hill Sunrise

This is a great time of year to get out along the coast of San Diego: dry clear mornings, tourists are mostly gone and the sun is far enough south that we have nice long shadows well after sunrise. For 35 years I have been running, hiking and photographing Torrey…

Phil CollaOctober 17, 2019

Beautiful Views of San Diego La Jolla San Diego

Torrey Pines State Beach Golden Wintertime Sunset

I've been running, hiking, swimming and photographing Torrey Pines State Beach and Reserve for 37 years. It is the most spectacular section of coastline in all of San Diego County. When I lived in Del Mar and ran it almost daily I would sometimes be blessed with solitude on the…

Phil CollaMay 12, 2019

Astrophotography and Night Scapes California Joshua Tree The American Southwest

Blood Red Moon Madness! A Tetrad of Total Lunar Eclipses

Lunar eclipse sequence, showing total eclipse (left) through full moon (right). While the moon lies in the full shadow of the earth (umbra) it receives only faint, red-tinged light refracted through the Earth's atmosphere. As the moon passes into the penumbra it receives increasing amounts of direct sunlight, eventually leaving…

Phil CollaDecember 23, 2015

Aerial Photography Beautiful Views of San Diego La Jolla San Diego

Aerial Panoramic Photo of Torrey Pines Golf Course and Black’s Beach

This aerial panorama of Torrey Pines Golf Course will print huge: up to about 4' high and 10' wide! In the center is seen Torrey Pines Golf Course south course, with the north course to the left. I played Torrey Pines often when I first moved to La Jolla and…

Phil CollaJune 1, 2015

San Diego

Paradise in February: San Diego

President's Weekend was nice here. The rest of the country is freezing, yup that's pretty bad. Southern California is in the midst of a bad drought and our Sierra Nevada is missing its usual snowpack which is going to hurt in the coming months, but at least the warm winter…

Phil CollaFebruary 18, 2015

California

Recent California Snaps

A few recent images. Click on any one to see others that are related. Beach cliffs at Torrey Pines State Reserve: Sandstone cliffs rise above the beach at Torrey Pines State Reserve.Image ID: 14725Location: Torrey Pines State Reserve, San Diego, California, USA Broken Hill at Torrey Pines State Reserve: Broken…

Phil CollaJanuary 5, 2006