Brown Pelican ~ I stood on the cliffs over La Jolla Cove, during a high tide, with the spray from large waves hitting the rocks below. I practiced my in-flight photography (the birds in flight, not me!) This Brown Pelican was flying by, already showing some breeding colors on his head and neck.
Previously known as the Clapper Rail ~ This sub-species of the Clapper Rail, the "Light-footed", was photographed on November 25. 2011 in Imperial Beach in the San Diego area, during a very high tide.
As of July 2014, the Clapper Rail in west is now named Ridgway's Rail. ~ This pair of endangered "Clapper" Rails was taken in the marshy Tijuana Estuary in Imperial Beach, California. They were hiding in this small bush on the edge, after the high tide flooded most of their habitat. As reclusive as they are, they didn't seem to be worried about my nearby presence.
