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Spent more time this morning photographing plants and such at Ballona Wetlands this morning. Was able to get permission through Dan Cooper to photograph in some of the restricted areas for the book that we’re working on. Encountered most of the usual suspects including a rather photogenic adult male Allen’s Hummingbird along with a Jerusalem Cricket posing on the dunes.

Ballona Wetlands – Marina del Rey in Distance

Ballona Wetlands – Playa del Rey in Distance

Ballona Wetlands – Lupine

Ballona Wetlands – Native Groundcover

Ballona Wetlands – Jerusalem Cricket

Allen’s Hummingbird

Allen’s Hummingbird

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Robert “Roy” van de Hoek, from the Ballona Institute, called me yesterday afternoon to tell me that he had the Ferruginous Hawk [that's wintering for the second time at Ballona] within close proximity. I rushed over to the Playa del Rey bluffs and just as I pulled up I saw the Ferruginous Hawk fly off to an even more distant power pole. After 20 minutes it flew off again toward the ocean where I lost sight of it. I decided to drive down a little bit closer to the beach to see I could relocate him. As I was pulling my camera and tripod out of the car it flew up and over my head, circling back and forth. Since I didn’t have time to get my tripod legs extended I just dropped to the ground, laying on my back shooting up at it. Without any time for preparation, I got some surprisingly good shots too. Again it flew off over the ocean and out of view.

As I was waiting for him to return a striking adult Peregrine Falcon flew within 100 yards. There was also a Red-tailed Hawk and a couple American Kestrels in the area that would occasionally harass the Ferruginous Hawk each time it would land on a power pole.

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I haven’t posted that much in the past few weeks and it’s not because I haven’t been out in the field, it’s because I haven’t found/or gotten any decent pics of what I was seeking! For example, today marked the 5th or 6th attempt to find and photograph the alternate plumage Little Blue Heron. I checked Ballona Freshwater Marsh along with Del Rey lagoon and walked a bit up Ballona Creek early this morning – and spent a couple hours this afternoon walking all around the backside of Ballona Freshwater Marsh until dusk. No luck.

A bit disappointing but that’s the way it goes and what makes it all the more thrilling when I can actually nail a shot that I’ve anticipated for so long. I do feel obligated to share a few decent shots I managed to capture this afternoon though:

Ruddy Duck

Marbled Godwit

Mallard (F)

Nothing all that exotic, but HEY! Beggars can’t be choosers, eh?

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