One
of many place in Southern California that I’ve NOT been to is the El Dorado
Nature Center…that is, until today! Nestled between the San Gabriel River
and the 605 Freeway, the El Dorado Nature Center is 105 acres with trails that
wind around two lakes, a stream and forested areas. I was surprised at the
extent and maturity of the forested areas considering the urban environment
surrounding this oasis.
I had no idea what to expect in terms of fauna
and flora, and I’m sure like many similar nature preserves, time of year
affects what one will see, and multiple visits are required to gain an
appreciation for the variety and change that different seasons bring.
That said, there were still a number of photo opportunities, and today’s
weather made for a terrific day to visit!
I
still get excited when I see the Great blue herons! They are so big, and
the foliage around this one made for a pleasant composition. After
waiting nearly an hour to see if I could catch some in-flight photos, I
eventually had to give up…even the bird yawned!
This
cormorant was quite interesting to watch. It swam around and occasionally
dove under the water to search for food. One time it came up with a
MOUTHFUL! It sure looks like the head of a bird! I watched the
cormorant swallow the whole thing! (see the next picture)
There
was a small waterfall, and since subject matter to photograph was limited to
this point, I created a couple of images with a slow shutter speed to create a
nice silky water flow.
I
heard the characteristic chirping of an osprey while walking around, and at one
point off in the distance I saw it perched high up in a tree. I was able
to get a little bit closer, and since I was fortunate to be using a telephoto
lens, I’m able to give you a nice close-up photograph!
This
Yellow warbler was enjoying these berries along with about 20 of his
friends! It was hard to settle on which bird to photograph…the additional
challenge was that with them buried in the tree branches, they were typically
in mottled lighting, so it took a bit of patience and luck to wait until one
was mostly in shade (or sun).
The
Great egret is another of my favorite birds to photograph…so elegant!
To see these and other images from my El Dorado Nature Center collection, visit: http://www.costamesaphotography.com/California/SouthernCalifornia/El-Dorado-Nature-Center/
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