Long Beach, CA

Happy Thanksgiving from rainy and wintery S. California.  Notice the snow in the distant mountains, as of today there is now at least a foot more snow.  These are the buildings to our north and east of Golden Shore RV Resort in Long Beach.

To our west is the Port of Long Beach that unloads the cargo ships on to trains and trucks.
When the wind is from that direction, there is quite a din.

Just to the south is the Golden Shore Ecological Preserve that is a bay off the
L.A. River and rises with the tide and brings in many birds.

As the tide retreats, the Brown Pelicans, Egrets and Shorebirds come for the food.

Long-billed Curlew

Belted Kingfisher in the boat harbor

Aquarium of the Pacific is a short walk from us.  Travis and Tina drove down and joined us on the tour.

Pacific Coral Reef

Pacific Sea Nettle Jellyfish

Big Fin Reef Squid

Juvenile Western Grebe still food begging from Dad

"Our" Allen's Hummingbird

Guarding the feeder

Every way he turns, it's a different color

Surf Scoter, one of a least 100 over-wintering on the river

Coming in for a landing

N. Mockingbird on Pyracantha (Fire Thorn Bush)

Spotted Sandpiper in winter plumage, no spots

Our local Peregrine Falcon likes the tall buildings nearby

This is the L.A. River three miles upstream, full of birds and unfortunately garbage. 

Cinnamon Teal, Coot, Am. Avocets, Black-necked Stilts, Dowitchers, plus Geese and more. 

Juvenile Black-crowned Night-heron

Are you ready for my close-up shot?

I see you too!

Snowy Egret

Willet shows his beautiful wing pattern

Black Oystercatcher looks for clams at low tide

Got one, a California Clam

Young California Sea Lion begging for treats from fishermen

This guy sounds like he just had a huge Thanksgiving Dinner and is wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!

Halfway through our stay here, and looking forward to the Christmas Season.
Love & Prayers,
Ty & Ida Baumann

Malibu Beach to Long Beach, CA

We spent nine days at Malibu Beach RV Resort and during that time there were 9 major fires in the L.A. area; two within 20 miles of us.  This was from the Getty Fire that turned the sunrise burnt orange over Santa Monica to the east of us.  We only smelled smoke one day, and thankfully we did not have to evacuate.  This RV park burned last year and it is amazing what trees survived.

California Sister Butterfly

Nanday Parakeet eating Palm fruit

Many Nanday Parakeets roosted in our RV park

House Wren hunts for bugs

Common Raven with Mourning Dove

California Towhee

Nuttall's Woodpecker

Anna's Hummingbird sticks out his tongue

We put up our hummingbird feeder and soon had several Anna's and Allen's Hummingbirds coming for a drink.  There was a lot of squabbling going on all day long.

American Kestrel

Spotted Towhee at Solstice Canyon

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Glossy Snake

Nearby is Solstice Canyon with trails that many people enjoy walking and film company's love using this area for their projects.  Hiding in one of the trees, we found this sleeping Barn Owl.  Many of the trees and brush burned in last years's fire, but things grow back pretty quickly.  It is sad to see how dry everything is, rain is badly needed.

Wrentit

Cooper's Hawk

The view from our RV Park overlooking Malibu Beach and the Pacific Ocean

Black-bellied Plover 

Sunrire over the Santa Monica Mountains

Dolphin in the harbor nearby

On November 1st, we left very early to drive through the urban area south to Long Beach.  Golden Shore RV Resort is like an oasis surrounded by high rise buildings on the north and the huge Ports on the west.  It is amazing how much wildlife can be found along the L.A. River and harbor.

Surf Scoter

Brown Pelican plunging for fish

Contact!!

Snowy Egrets, which way is up?  Reflections

Snowy Egret, bad itch

Whimbrel in adjatent wetland preserve

Western Grebe - lange numbers overwintering 

Like my hairdo?

Black-crowned Night-heron checks me out

Scaly-breasted Munia, formerly the Nutmeg Manakin
Did you ask me if I wanted my name changed?

Allen's Hummingbird

The feeder went back out as soon as we arrived and this beautiful male Allen's Hummingbird claimed it as his own, barely letting anyone else near.  We will be here through Christmas and hope to spend some qualitly time with our son Travis and his wife Tina.  We also have missionary friends in the area, Joel and Marie Holm, joining them at Cottonwood Church.

Thanks for traveling along with us.
Love & Prayers,
Ty & Ida Baumann