Wild Bird Wednesday - Dana Point Harbor

Spent a day at Dana Point Harbor last summer looking for birds and other critters.

 

 

Here's one of our local Brown Pelicans hanging out on the dock.

 

 

 

California Sea Lion enjoying the late afternoon sun on a raft.  I believe that's a Western Gull behind him.

 

 

 

Here's a Snowy Egret looking for munchies amongst the rocks of the jetty.

 

 

Ground squirrels were everywhere...

 

 

 

...including these unusual partially white ones.  At first we thought there was just one unique individual, but the more we looked...

 

 

...the more we saw.  I would have thought the lighter coloring would make them easier for predators to spot, but apparently not (at least judging by their numbers).

 

 

 

 

Black-crowned Night Heron hanging out on the dock fence waiting for the fishing boats to come in.

 

KJ