Santa Ynez Valley

Santa Ynez Valley
Our Backyard

Monday, September 24, 2012

Elkhorn Slough Revisited

The final two nights of our summer travels were spent in Moss Landing, California, so that we could enjoy another wildlife cruise on the Elkhorn Slough.  As with our previous visit in 2011, there was a wealth of wildlife to be seen.


The tour boat skipper said that this boat had been sitting there for about one month.

Lots of sea otters hanging around the slough



Just a few sea lions.



Great Blue Heron

Arctic Terns in flight


Snowy Egret

Marbled Godwit

Long-billed Curlew

Harbor seal hauled out on the bank

A "squadron" of pelicans

A favorite tern hangout




More sea otters

Some otter "foreplay"

A "bad feather day"

Great Egret

Great Blue Heron in flight

Snowy Egret fishing

American Avocet

A large sea otter pup nursing

Size comparison; Snowy Egret, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron

A lot of harbor seals resting on a mud bar

Pelican fly-by

Cormorant with lunch

Another harbor seal

A couple of rather rare birds


Pelagic Cormorant

Sea otter enjoying a large clam









Monday, September 17, 2012

Farmers' Market

On our way home, we stopped for a couple of days to visit Barbara's sister and family in the Portland, Oregon area.  While we were visiting, we took in a farmers' market in the Portland suburb of Gresham.  It was a warm and sunny day.  Below are several images I took of the products being sold.