Rookery Photos

Bull elephant seal exits the water to retake his position on the beach. He shows considerable scarring on his chest and proboscis from many winters fighting other males for territory and rights to a harem of females. Sandy beach rookery, winter, Central California.
Species: Elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris
Location: Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California
Image ID: 15458  

Great egret, White Egret, Ardea alba, Florida.
Species: Great egret, Ardea alba
Location: Harley Davidson Rookery, Brandon, Florida
Image ID: 40561  

Wood Stork in flight carrying nesting material, Mycteria americana.
Species: Wood Stork, Mycteria americana
Location: Harley Davidson Rookery, Brandon, Florida
Image ID: 40566  

California sea lions, socializing/resting, Webster Point rookery, Santa Barbara Island, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Santa Barbara Island, California
Image ID: 06284  

Male elephant seals (bulls) rear up on their foreflippers and fight for territory and harems of females. Bull elephant seals will haul out and fight from December through March, nearly fasting the entire time as they maintain their territory and harem. They bite and tear at each other on the neck and shoulders, drawing blood and creating scars on the tough hides. Sandy beach rookery, winter, Central California.
Species: Elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris
Location: Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California
Image ID: 35144  

Wood Stork, mated pair courting at the nest, Mycteria americana.
Species: Wood Stork, Mycteria americana
Location: Harley Davidson Rookery, Brandon, Florida
Image ID: 40555  

Wood Stork in flight, Mycteria americana.
Species: Wood Stork, Mycteria americana
Location: Harley Davidson Rookery, Brandon, Florida
Image ID: 40562  

Black-crowned Night Heron in Flight, Nycticorax nycticorax, Venice Rookery, Florida.
Species: Black-crowned night-heron, Nycticorax nycticorax
Location: Venice Rookery, Florida
Image ID: 40592  

Great egret, White Egret, Ardea alba, Florida.
Species: Great egret, Ardea alba
Location: Venice Rookery, Florida
Image ID: 40601  

Male elephant seals (bulls) rear up on their foreflippers and fight for territory and harems of females. Bull elephant seals will haul out and fight from December through March, nearly fasting the entire time as they maintain their territory and harem. They bite and tear at each other on the neck and shoulders, drawing blood and creating scars on the tough hides. Sandy beach rookery, winter, Central California.
Species: Elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris
Location: Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California
Image ID: 15394  

A bull elephant seal forceably mates (copulates) with a much smaller female, often biting her into submission and using his weight to keep her from fleeing. Males may up to 5000 lbs, triple the size of females. Sandy beach rookery, winter, Central California.
Species: Elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris
Location: Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California
Image ID: 35133  

Wood Stork, Mycteria americana.
Species: Wood Stork, Mycteria americana
Location: Harley Davidson Rookery, Brandon, Florida
Image ID: 40557  

A bull elephant seal forceably mates (copulates) with a much smaller female, often biting her into submission and using his weight to keep her from fleeing. Males may up to 5000 lbs, triple the size of females. Sandy beach rookery, winter, Central California.
Species: Elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris
Location: Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California
Image ID: 20388  

A bull elephant seal forceably mates (copulates) with a much smaller female, often biting her into submission and using his weight to keep her from fleeing. Males may up to 5000 lbs, triple the size of females. Sandy beach rookery, winter, Central California.
Species: Elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris
Location: Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California
Image ID: 35132  

Elephant seals crowd a sand beach at the Piedras Blancas rookery near San Simeon.
Location: Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California
Image ID: 35140  

Male elephant seals (bulls) rear up on their foreflippers and fight for territory and harems of females. Bull elephant seals will haul out and fight from December through March, nearly fasting the entire time as they maintain their territory and harem. They bite and tear at each other on the neck and shoulders, drawing blood and creating scars on the tough hides. Sandy beach rookery, winter, Central California.
Species: Elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris
Location: Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California
Image ID: 35150  

Cormorants rest at night above the La Jolla Caves. La Jolla Sea Caves, the famous La Jolla sea caves lie below tall cliffs at Goldfish Point.
Location: La Jolla, California
Image ID: 28827  

Double-Crested Cormorant, Phalacrocorax auritus, Florida.
Species: Double-crested cormorant, Phalacrocorax auritus
Location: Harley Davidson Rookery, Brandon, Florida
Image ID: 40563  

Great Blue Heron.
Species: Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias
Location: Harley Davidson Rookery, Brandon, Florida
Image ID: 40564  

Great egret, White Egret, Ardea alba, Florida.
Species: Great egret, Ardea alba
Location: Harley Davidson Rookery, Brandon, Florida
Image ID: 40565  

Wood Stork in flight carrying nesting material, Mycteria americana.
Species: Wood Stork, Mycteria americana
Location: Harley Davidson Rookery, Brandon, Florida
Image ID: 40567  

Great Blue Heron mated pair exchanging nesting material at the nest, Venice Rookery, Florida.
Species: Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias
Location: Venice Rookery, Florida
Image ID: 40593  

Great Blue Heron.
Species: Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias
Location: Venice Rookery, Florida
Image ID: 40594  

Black-crowned Night Heron in Flight, carrying nesting material, Nycticorax nycticorax, Venice Rookery, Florida.
Species: Black-crowned night-heron, Nycticorax nycticorax
Location: Venice Rookery, Florida
Image ID: 40597  

Glossy Ibis in flight, Plegadis falcinellus, Venice Rookery, Florida.
Species: Glossy Ibis, Plegadis falcinellus
Location: Venice Rookery, Florida
Image ID: 40598  

Great egret, White Egret, Ardea alba, Florida.
Species: Great egret, Ardea alba
Location: Venice Rookery, Florida
Image ID: 40599  

Great Blue Heron.
Species: Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias
Location: Venice Rookery, Florida
Image ID: 40600  

Great egret, White Egret, Ardea alba, Florida.
Species: Great egret, Ardea alba
Location: Venice Rookery, Florida
Image ID: 40602  

This bull elephant seal, an old adult male, shows extreme scarring on his chest and proboscis from many winters fighting other males for territory and rights to a harem of females. Sandy beach rookery, winter, Central California.
Species: Elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris
Location: Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California
Image ID: 15388  

A bull elephant seal forceably mates (copulates) with a much smaller female, often biting her into submission and using his weight to keep her from fleeing. Males may up to 5000 lbs, triple the size of females. Sandy beach rookery, winter, Central California.
Species: Elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris
Location: Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California
Image ID: 15408