Long-Billed Curlew, Elkhorn Slough.

The long-billed Curlew’s most interesting feature is, unsurprisingly, its long, downward curving bill. This migratory bird can be found on the seashore in winter, and during the breeding season, in fields and prairies.

Interesting fact about these curlews: “Both the male and female Long-billed Curlew incubate the eggs, and both are aggressive in defense of nests and young. The female typically abandons the brood two to three weeks after hatching and leaves brood care to her mate. Despite this abandonment the same male and female often pair with each other again the next year.” Source: Cornell Site

Technical Details:

Exposure: 1/1000sec at f/5.6
Focal Length: 300mm
ISO: 100
WB: Daylight
Lens: Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 IS USM
Time: 3.29 PM
Date: November 3, 2007

Technical Details:

Exposure: 1/750sec at f/5.6
Focal Length: 300mm
ISO: 100
WB: Daylight
Lens: Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 IS USM
Time: 1.45 PM
Date: November 3, 2007

A Brandt’s Cormorant in Elkhorn Slough, Moss Landing, California.

During the Elkhorn Slough Safari on the pontoon boat, the number or cormorants we saw were amazing. There were easily a couple of hundred cormorants.

Moss Landing, about 10 miles North of Monterey is one of the few commercial fishing harbors left in California. Here, you can watch big and small fishing boats go out to sea and later come back with their fresh catch on any day. This area is has tidal sloughs and freshwater ponds adjacent to each other. No wonder then, that this area is just so fantastic for birding that it has been recognized as and IBA (Important Bird Area) of international significance. This area is a principal staging and feeding area for migratory shorebirds.

Elkhorn Slough is located right in the center of the curve of Monterey Bay and drains directly into the Pacific Ocean through the Moss Landing harbor channel. This channel was created by man, and rivers had to be diverted, one of them being the Salinas River ran north from its present mouth to its old original mouth north of today’s Moss Landing. Today’s Moss Landing harbor and various sloughs around here, to the south are a part of this old river bed.

So thats some information to ruminate over the weekend. I will be back next week with more birds, this time shorebirds. And hopefully, some lighthouse photos. Have a great weekend!

Technical Details:

Exposure: 1/1000sec at f/5.6
Focal Length: 300mm
ISO: 100
WB: Daylight
Lens: Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 IS USM
Time: 8.33 AM
Date: November 3, 2007

Elkhorn Slough, Moss Landing.

The green sheen on the cormorants is very fascinating!

Update: I have updated the previous post with exif data.

Technical Details:

Exposure: 1/500sec at f/5.6
Focal Length: 300mm
ISO: 100
WB: Daylight
Lens: Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 IS USM
Time: 1.45 PM
Date: November 3, 2007

Pelican Mugshot, Elkhorn Slough, Moss Landing, California

Technical Details:

Exposure: 1/1500sec at f/5.6
Focal Length: 300mm
ISO: 100
WB: Daylight
Lens: Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 IS USM
Time: 8.21 AM
Date: November 3, 2007

Elkhorn Slough, Moss Landing

Technical Details:

Exposure: 1/350sec at f/5.6
Focal Length: 300mm
ISO: 100
WB: Daylight
Lens: Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 IS USM
Time: 8.43 AM
Date: November 3, 2007