2013 02-14 Valentine's Day at Zuma

A surfing California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) rides a clear blue Zuma Beach wave. Ahead of the sea lion some fish are seen in the wave and jumping out as they sense the on-coming predator.
Zalophus californianus fish surfing wave 2013 014 Zuma 013
A surfing California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) rides a clear blue Zuma Beach wave.
Zalophus californianus surfing wave 2013 014 Zuma 011
A surfing California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) rides a clear blue Zuma Beach wave.
Zalophus californianus surfing wave 2013 014 Zuma 012
A surfing California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) rides a clear blue Zuma Beach wave.
Zalophus californianus surfing wave 2013 014 Zuma 013
A surfing California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) takes off for a ride on a clear blue Zuma Beach wave.
Zalophus californianus surfing wave 2013 014 Zuma 001
A surfing California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) takes off for a ride on a clear blue Zuma Beach wave.
Zalophus californianus surfing wave 2013 014 Zuma 003
A surfing California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) takes off for a ride on a clear blue Zuma Beach wave.
Zalophus californianus surfing wave 2013 014 Zuma 005
A swarm of sanderlings (Calidris alba) were seen flying up and down Zuma Beach. On the beach, huge swaths of sand were found ploughed up by these voracious predators as they dug up tiny juvenile sand crabs (Emerita analoga).
Calidris alba swarm 2013 014 Zuma 017
Student researchers observe a flock of sanderlings (Calidris alba).
Calidris alba swarm 2013 014 Zuma 009
Student researchers observe a flock of sanderlings (Calidris alba).
Calidris alba swarm 2013 014 Zuma 006
Student researchers observe a flock of sanderlings (Calidris alba).
Calidris alba swarm 2013 014 Zuma 030
A zoea of a true (Brachyuran) crab. Several were found in the plankton sample this week.
brachyuran zoea 2013 014 Zuma 094
A cluster of individual comb jellies or "sea gooseberries," Pleurobrachia bachei taken from the plankton net and found washed up along the edge of the water. These gelatinous animals are members of a group known as Ctenophores (meaning "to bear combs") and are distinguished from other jellies by their 8 rows or bands of ciliary plates (called combs by early observers). These animals cannot sting, have no stinging cells, and feed using two long sticky tentacles that grab other planktonic animals.
Pleurobrachia bacheii group 2013 014 Zuma 006
A close up view of the ciliary bands or "combs" of the comb jelly or "sea gooseberry," Pleurobrachia bachei.
ciliary bands Pleurobrachia bacheii 2013 014 Zuma 309
Oxycephalus sp., a hyuperiid amphipod that lives symbiotically on gelatinous zooplankton.
clear shrimp like crustacean 2013 014 Zuma 001
Oxycephalus sp., a hyuperiid amphipod that lives symbiotically on gelatinous zooplankton.
clear shrimp like crustacean 2013 014 Zuma
Oxycephalus sp., a hyuperiid amphipod that lives symbiotically on gelatinous zooplankton.
clear shrimp like crustacean 2013 014 Zuma 037
Doryteuthis opalescens squid paralarva 2013 02-014 Zuma-179
Doryteuthis opalescens squid paralarva 2013 014 Zuma 179
Doryteuthis opalescens squid paralarva 2013 02-014 Zuma-194
Doryteuthis opalescens squid paralarva 2013 014 Zuma 194
Doryteuthis opalescens squid paralarva 2013 02-014 Zuma-226
Doryteuthis opalescens squid paralarva 2013 014 Zuma 226
A calycaphoran siphonophore, probably Diphyes dispar.
jelly plankton 2013 014 Zuma 001
A calycaphoran siphonophore, probably Diphyes dispar.
jelly plankton 2013 014 Zuma 085
gelatinous animals in clear bag 2013 02-014 Zuma-a-089
gelatinous animals clear bag 2013 014 Zuma 089
A calycaphoran siphonophore, probably Diphyes dispar.
gelatinous zooplankton plankton 2013 014 Zuma 278
Close up of a calycaphoran siphonophore, probably Diphyes dispar.
gelatinous zooplankton plankton 2013 014 Zuma 284
Close up of a calycaphoran siphonophore, probably Diphyes dispar.
gelatinous zooplankton plankton 2013 014 Zuma 293
Pelecanus occidentalis in flight 2013 02-014 Zuma-003
Pelecanus occidentalis flight 2013 014 Zuma 003
Larus heermanni on sand 2013 02-014 Zuma-003
Larus heermanni sand 2013 014 Zuma 003
Phalocrocorax penicillatus walking on beach 2013 02-014 Zuma-025
Phalocrocorax penicillatus walking beach 2013 014 Zuma 025

CONDOR EXPRESS TRIPS

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2013 02-14 Valentine's Day at Zuma