The Santa Barbara zoo seemed even smaller than Tacoma’s zoo, and though they had lions, elephants, and giraffes,
and a kids’ playground that seemed hectically popular, both for sliding,
and riding,
there seemed to be a considerable focus on exotic birds, like the Inca tern, a bird I’ve never seen before, even in a zoo
and more tropical birds, particularly brilliant-colored parrots,
than I’ve ever seen in a zoo before.
Our hike in Wildwood Park clearly showed the importance of water in this part of California. The area around the falls was quite lush:
In fact, most of the area surrounding the stream was quite lush, at least where there was soil enough for vegetation to grow:.
However, the cliffs lining the stream were quite different. Even though they held their own beauty,
it was a harsh, desert-like beauty.
My favorite place so far in California would have to be Carpinteria where we visited the wetlands the city is restoring and the beach. I’d have to say that the wetlands were my favorite, though, because the beach was very busy, while the wetlands were relatively quiet.
I managed to get some excellent shots of Snow Egrets, though the best shots will have to wait until I get home because I was so close to the bird that I had to take multiple shots with my 400mm lens to get it all in the frame and I don’t have Photoshop available to merge them. Here’s a shot taken from a slighter greater distance:
I also like this shot of these small shorebirds taken at almost exactly the same spot:
I’ll have to admit I’m really missing my bird identification book, as well as my 70-200mm lens, but I could barely lift the suitcase as it was and something had to be sacrificed.
These birds look an awful lot like the Godwits I pictured at Tokeland last fall, but, again, I’d need a book to positively identify them.
While everyone else spent the afternoon building sand castles, wading in the ocean, and blowing bubbles,
I focused on the Pelicans diving repeatedly offshore:
I’ve probably spent more time in the Santa Monica Recreation Area above Tyson’s home in Thousand Oaks than anywhere else here in Southern California, though I haven’t taken as many pictures there as in the other areas we’ve visited.
You know instantly that this isn’t the Pacific Northwest, no more so than the fact that the dominant bird here appears to be the Mockngbird, which is everywhere:
Though animal droppings suggest that various wild animals wander the area, the only mammal I’ve seen so far is this rabbit that I spotted Easter Sunday morning:
There appears to be less flowers than I’d expect to find in the Pacific Northwest, but there is a considerable variety, and in this dry, shrub-covered area even the humble Morning Glory takes on a special beauty:
Surprisingly, I saw remarkably few California Poppies in the wild, though they can be found in many yards:
