2022 04-30 Elkhorn Slough
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Elkhorn Slough is a huge saltwater wetland attached to Moss Landing. It is a calm, restful habitat where many species (harbor seals, southern sea otters, etc.) can go to find an undisturbed environment. It is a spot for resting, grooming, nursing and raising pups.
We took a 9:15 AM tour on a flat top river boat throughout Elkhorn slough with a company called Elkhorn Slough Safaris ( https://elkhornslough.com/ ). The owner, Joe Mancino, was the captain and both he and the deckhand/naturalist narrated the adventure and knew what they were talking about. We were aboard the morning trip because we assumed the wind would be negligible, and we turned out to have sunny and mirror glass conditions.
Joe was an equal opportunity captain: he skillfully put mammals first on one side then on the other so everyone could get great looks, and the lighting could be perfect for photographers like myself. Sightings for the trip included: 100+ sea otters, 100+ Pacific harbor seals, at least 50 California sea lions, pigeon guillemots, Brandt’s cormorants, Caspian terns, Western gulls, red-necked phalaropes, great egrets, great blue herons, sanderlings, marbled godwits and other shorebirds/seabirds.
The otters and the harbor seals had newborns and juveniles with them.
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Read MoreElkhorn Slough is a huge saltwater wetland attached to Moss Landing. It is a calm, restful habitat where many species (harbor seals, southern sea otters, etc.) can go to find an undisturbed environment. It is a spot for resting, grooming, nursing and raising pups.
We took a 9:15 AM tour on a flat top river boat throughout Elkhorn slough with a company called Elkhorn Slough Safaris ( https://elkhornslough.com/ ). The owner, Joe Mancino, was the captain and both he and the deckhand/naturalist narrated the adventure and knew what they were talking about. We were aboard the morning trip because we assumed the wind would be negligible, and we turned out to have sunny and mirror glass conditions.
Joe was an equal opportunity captain: he skillfully put mammals first on one side then on the other so everyone could get great looks, and the lighting could be perfect for photographers like myself. Sightings for the trip included: 100+ sea otters, 100+ Pacific harbor seals, at least 50 California sea lions, pigeon guillemots, Brandt’s cormorants, Caspian terns, Western gulls, red-necked phalaropes, great egrets, great blue herons, sanderlings, marbled godwits and other shorebirds/seabirds.
The otters and the harbor seals had newborns and juveniles with them.
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Phalocrororax penicillatus Brandts cormorant HEAD CLOSE 2022 04-30 Elkhorn Slough--012
PhalocrororaxpenicillatusBrandtscormorantHEADCLOSE2022ElkhornSlough012
