Friday, November 02, 2012

Wildlife at Ellen Browning Scripps Park, La Jolla

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 Beach Below Ellen Browning Scripps Park, La Jolla, San Diego, CA
La Jolla's Ellen Browing Scripps Park is said to be the most photographed place in San Diego according to AAA Magazine. This is one of our favorite places in San Diego to simply watch the time go by. The pictures I am sharing here in this post were all taken today during our leisurely stroll in this park. 
The park has large grassy area for picnic, however, since I will be featuring here the wildlife that abounds in this park, most of the pictures will show instead the ocean bluffs and cliffs. Let me start from the eastern portion of the park at La Jolla Caves.
 Kayakers Attempting to Get In La Jolla Caves
Notice the black birds perched on the rocky walls of La Jolla Caves. They are the cormorants.
 Cormorants Up Close
 Group of Cormorants ( can you find the lone sea lion among the cormorants?)
Cormorants are medium to large fish eating sea birds. They are fun to watch when they are in flight because they form straight line and flap their wings so fast. Aside from cormorants, La Jolla Caves also is the favorite resting place of the CA brown pelicans.
Me and the Pelicans
 Pelican Up Close
 Pelicans In Flight
The California brown pelicans are probably the most prominent birds seen in San Diego's coast. The pelicans are huge birds, though the brown pelicans are the smallest of the 8 pelican species, nevertheless, still very huge compared to the other birds in the area, having a wingspan of about 12 ft. 
Aside from the pelicans, other common birds seen in the area are of course the sea gulls and pigeons.
 Sea Gull in Flight
Pigeon
Now from the winged critters, let us move to the swimmers. In the La Jolla Cave and La Jolla Cove area are the sea lions. 
Sea Lions
Swimming with the Sea Lion @ La Jolla Cove Area
If the sea lions are found in the La Jolla Cove and Caves area, the harbor seals on the other hand are found on the western side of Ellen Browing Scripps Park at La Jolla Children's Pool.
 Harbor Seals @ the western portion of the park
 Yawn, I am sleepy!!
Harbor Seals
What are the differences between sea lions and harbor seals aside from their location (Sea Lion is to La Jolla Cove while the harbor seals are to Children's Pool) ? Perhaps, if you are in the area, the most notable is the noise! Sea lions are very loud, they bark loud! Harbor seals on the other hand are quiet. Also, harbor seals walk and move around with their belly, whereas sea lions can walk on all four flippers.
Aside from sea lions, seals, pelicans, cormorants and other sea birds, of course, other notable wildlife are the squirrels, sea anemone, various kind of fishes, shell fish, and if you look far enough, you may be able to spot dolphins and whales.
 what kind of fish?
 Sea Vegetation
 Fish and Anemone
For more information about the park, please go to San Diego City Parks website, featuring Ellen Browning Scripps Park. - http://www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/parks/shoreline/ebscripps.shtml
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36 comments:

  1. I love La Jolla. It is a dream place to live.

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  2. Amazing shot and WOW!!! what a wonder!

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  3. the wildlife, the breathtaking views, and YOU and your stunning photos are all awe-inspiring! you and Khai have a lovely and blessed week ahead. can't wait to meet you both too. :)

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  4. the Harbor Seal yawning is what I find the cutest haha, and that photo of you with the Pelicans makes me make a thumbs up too! don't know the name of the fish but it does look gorgeous...how I'd love to run my fingers on the water to touch the weeds...blue waters...sigh...a place I would one sweet day love to see with you touring and introducing me to your sweet wildlife community :)

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  5. very nice..
    so close with the pelicans.. :)

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  6. I love where you live as you have wildlife virtually living right at your back door! Gorgeous photos as always! Such a joy of life, indeed!

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  7. The birds are beautiful but I have to admit that the sea lions and seals are my favorites.

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  8. The water is so blue.

    and beautiful.

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  9. Amazing shots, the animals seem so at ease with people..

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  10. How do you take these pictures, Betchai? Galing talaga! Lalo na yung mga birds in flight. You sure captured them in action. All these pictures look alive. The animals' movements are well depicted in your photos. Kakabilib :) My favorite among these pics is yung cormorant up close ;) Sa Scripps Park pala 'to, no? I had the chance to visit the Scripps Park Guesthouse in Rushville, Illinois naman. Here's my blog about that:

    SCRIPPS PARK GUESTHOUSE

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  11. Wow! Good thing that the animals are not scared with people.. Amazing neat shots po! :)

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  12. Pwedeng-pwede sa National Geographics ang mga photos mo betchai, Kakaaliw tignan yung Pelican at Harbor Seals.

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  13. I guess the lone sea lion is on the side near the center. Honestly it is hard when there are lots of cormorants, it is not easy to distinguish at all.

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  14. Superb! I love how you captured all those animals.

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  15. When I went to San Diego many years ago the first thing I noticed was how overflowing with animals/birds there are! Great shots!

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  16. Hi there again wonderwoman, swinging back here via FBF hehehe, I would love to see La Jolla one sweet day and join the Kayakers entering the caves weeee hehe, the flyers and the swimmers here all look gorgeous...you left me breathless viewing the post yet again... Keep spreading joy friend! Mwah!

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  17. ohhh...ahhhh...wow! those are just awesome photos!

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  18. Looks like a really interesting place. I'm not familiar with it.

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  19. La Jolla seems to be such a scenic place to spend a day!! The high cliffs and the clear blue skies and the clean water surrounded by all the activities!! Wonderful captures of the cormorants and the gulls!!
    Have a lovely week ahead Betchai :)

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  20. I guess I have not explored La Jolla in my visits. I have not seen the sea caves.

    Your close up captures on the birds are just as close as can be!

    Oh, what a joy!

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  21. I want to see a Pelican in person. They look so brave though.

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  22. these photoes made me want to visit this tourist spot so bad...

    thanks for sharing your experience again po.. :)

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  23. Breathtakingly beautiful! Wish I live so close to Nature.

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  24. back to water...and who would fee to move away from such places...

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  25. back to water...who can get away from such marvelous places..

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  26. very interesting place, sis, how did you get to get a photo of those pelicans, i really want to see one closer, just amaze me of how interesting they are

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  27. nice shot! looking at this pics is relaxing! :) keep those shots coming on your next blogs. love looking at them :)

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  28. wow, beautiful pictures, you really captured the detailed, lovely views! :) you're so blessed to see these first-hand of these, and lucky to live near those areas. keep sharing, i always love to see your adventure. :)

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  29. this place is very beautiful indeed! no question about being the most photograph. i can see why. i love all your photos here. thanks for taking us to this place, even just in photographs.

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  30. Gorgeous, gorgeous photos of these critters, and such a great place to spend time! I can't believe it is in San Diego, as it looked like a far and exotic place!

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  31. Amazing creatures of God! They were beautifully captured, Betchai. Thumbs uP! You're very blessed to be living in an area where you can get to appreciate nature at its best. I have never seen all these lovely creatures my entire life. I hope just like you, I'd get the chance one day. Thank you for the online tour once more. It is such a joy to be visiting your blog. Keep these lovely posts coming! :-)

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  32. What that looks so pretty and I like to see like that. Those are beautiful animals to have fun.

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  33. I love those Cormorants. What a cool looking bird. All the others are cool too, just seen them before, LOL! Great pictures, Betchai.

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  34. Such a beautiful place and you have captured it so well. It's like a slice of heaven!

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  35. those animals are amazing through your lenses. you made life worth living just from seeing these photos of nature and god's gifts.

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  36. wow you are brave enough to get up close and personal with the pelicans. it will surely freak the wits out of me to get as close as that.

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THANK YOU SO MUCH!!