Central Coast of California

We followed the beautiful coastal highway on this gorgeous sunny day.  Bright blue water and snow white waves crashing against the craggy sea rocks.  We pulled into Olema Campground for two nights and had close-up wildlife.

Black-tailed Deer, Mom and Fawn

Black-tailed Buck - King of the Park

We spent a partly foggy day exploring Point Reyes National Seashore, with the sun breaking through later.  We enjoyed the birds and wildlife of this amazing area.

Point Reyes Lighthouse - 30 stories of stairs below

Peregrine Falcon through the scope

Greater White-fronted Geese in the fog

Wind swept Cedar Tree top of the cliff

Blue-green algae on the rocks - little chlorophyll 

Tule Elk

Tropical Kingbird - wandering westward

Colorful autumn plants cover the dunes

We drove south along the coast staying at Sunset Beach State Park finding some new birds for our year list.  And Ty got lots of practice with Anna's Hummingbirds and some amazing stop-action shots.

California Thrasher

California Towhee

Pygmy Nuthatch

Tri-colored Blackbird

Along the route south was the Elephant Seal Vista where hundreds of these large, magnificent marine mammals haul out to rest and play.

Heermann's Gull

Ever southward, we spent a few days at Morro Dunes RV Park near the beautiful Morro Rock at the entrance to Morro Bay.  This monolith stands 581 feet high and takes up 50 acres of ground.  As many things in California, you really need to see it as the photos do not do it justice.

Sand dollar with barnacle 

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Elegant Tern

Bushtit

Dungeness Crab

Long-billed Curlew

Long-billed Curlew finds a Mole Crab

Pelagic Cormorants 

Prickly Pear beside Morro Rock

Sea Otter Mom and pup

Baby gets groomed

We took a day trip up into the mountains and in the large farmlands along Pozo Road, we found the indigenous Yellow-billed Magpie, only found here in Southern California.

This "on the road" photo is from Point Reyes that somehow got to the bottom of the blog by mistake but seemed like a good way to end this entry.

Love & Prayers,
Ty & Ida Baumann