And so, after a night in the car that equated to pretty much zero sleep, we started on the beach at Santa Barbara. It's a place I knew well, having visited here in early January 2014. Little had changed, with a nice flock of Black Skimmers and Royal Terns along with southern California's standard gulls - Heermann's, Western, California, Ring-billed with the odd Glaucous-winged (and hybrids) and American Herring. Surf Scoters, Buffleheads, Great Northern Divers and Pied-billed Grebes lined the harbour while stuff like Willet and Marbled Godwits paced up and down the shore. All good stuff for the other two, who had never visited the US before this trip. And for me to try my new camera and lens out...
Heermann's Gulls at Santa Barbara, California 15th February 2015 |
1st-winter Royal Tern at Santa Barbara, California 15th February 2015 |
4th-winter Glaucous-winged Gull at Arroyo Grande, California 15th February 2015 |
Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach, California 15th February 2015 |
Lovely contrasty photos Rich. What was the final choice of camera in the end? Looks like a good choice so far!
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