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ENVIRONMENT - WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS IN Monterey, Carmel and Big Sur, CA

Monterey, Carmel and Big Sur, CA: Wildlife

All photographs are copyrighted.

August 29-31, 2003

I mostly saw bird life here, except for harbor seals and sea lions. All pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them.

1. Great Egret

A lone Great Egret was seen in Moss Landing Harbor.

2. American White Pelican

A few American White Pelicans were seen in a shallow backwaters area near Moss Landing. 

3. Brown Pelican

Another very common species. Their spectacular dives are worth watching, as always.  

4. Western Gull

These were abundant all along the coast.

5. Brewers Blackbird

The glossy plumage stood out. 

6. Heerman's Gull

Another abundant species along the coast.

7. Least Tern

Common in Moss Landing harbor and thrilled me with their spectacular dives to catch fish.

8. Double-crested Cormorant

There were common, especially on the rocks near the shore. 

9. Common Murre

These were very common in the choppy waters off the coast.

10. Short-tailed Shearwater

A large flock of these was seen a mile or so into the Pacific Ocean. The underside of the wings were dark from a distance - so I ruled out the possibility of them being Sooty Shearwaters. In combination with the brownish plumage and wing span/shape, I identified them to be Short-tailed Shearwaters.

11. Sanderling

These were common on the seaweed-covered beaches in the Carmel area, along with Black Turnstones, Western Gulls and Heerman's Gulls.

11. Whimbrel

There were a few Whimbrels as well.

12. Willet

There were a couple of these, and they were somewhat unremarkable from a color standpoint.  Overall grayish in color with light underparts, they had a white spot in the region between the eye and the beak (and above the beak), longish beak and dull colored legs.

13. Brandt Cormorant

Abundant on the rocky shores along the Carmel/Big Sur area. Distinctive beigish/whitish patch below beak and glossy dark green back.

14. Steller's Jay

A few were sighted at the Nepenthe Restaurant in Big Sur.

15. Western Scrub Jay

A few were sighted at the Nepenthe Restaurant in Big Sur.

Unidentified Birds

A. Some kind of a sparrow?
- Yellowish beak with bluish tip on top of the beak. Brown streaks underneath. Dark brown streaks on the head - on either side of the crown - one of them starting from the back of the eye. Pink legs and dark brown tail. Rump looks whitish with some brown.

B. Unidentified Hummingbird

- Dark overall with green sheen on the sides. Long beak, yellow near the base. Whitish collar area. Underside was black/dark. There was a greyish white wing patch on the side (when the bird was perched). It appeared to a ruby red spot in the throat area.