Search This Blog

Bolsa Chica Wetlands, Huntington Beach, California


Dowitcher
© John Corney 2011
 The Bolsa Chica Wetlands in Huntington Beach, California, once was and is again an estuary. An estuary is a body of water where fresh water meets and mixes with saltwater, and for many decades the Bolsa Chica estuary was cut off from the sea and drilled for oil. Construction on a bridge on Pacific Coast Highway began in 2006 to allow for the opening of the wetlands to the sea once again which happened in 2008. In addition, over 60 oil wells and associated machinery and pipelines were removed.

The Bolsa Chica Wetlands is a great place to visit any day of the year, but in the winter and into the early spring you will find many migratory birds wintering over.

Here are some photos of birds at the Bolsa Chica Wetlands that I took this past April.

Comments

Denise Leach said…
I just now got a chance to look at the shots from Bolsa Chica. OMG, so impressive! You're "nature action shots" are truly a thing of beauty...and I am envious :) You captured some great "in flight" moments in that shoot, especially with the Forster's Tern dives. Awesome tracking of the subjects!
John C said…
Thank you, Denise. As you know, I took a lot of shots, and many of them had to be trashed. I'm sure you captured some equally wonderful shots yourself. Looking forward to seeing them.

Young at Heart: The Active Seniors Collection + Massive Redbubble Sale!

Ollie Grandpa Stepping into the freedom of retirement after a long, 45-year career completely shifts your perspective. You finally have the time to let loose, hit the road, and truly embrace the fun side of life! That joyful, unrestrained energy is exactly what I wanted to capture in my newest Redbubble collection. I'm so excited to introduce my new " Active Seniors " series, featuring designs that perfectly embody the "young at heart" spirit. The series features a vibrant, adventurous little old lady tearing it up, and a matching active grandpa catching some serious air on a skateboard or cruising on a bright orange motor scooter. Complete with flower-adorned helmets, flying striped scarves, and big, beaming smiles, these characters are a tribute to everyone who refuses to slow down. These make fantastic graphic tees, travel mugs, or stickers for your own "Fa...

Finding Warmth in the Wild: A Western Gay Romance Story

Gay Cowboys Reading Under the Mountain Sky There is a specific kind of silence out in the wilderness, far from city lights — a quiet that draws people together. With my latest digital artwork, "Under the Mountain Sky," I wanted to capture that feeling of finding your own private world in the middle of a vast landscape. A Story by Firelight This romantic image features a gay cowboy couple sharing a quiet evening, settling in against a tree to read by the light of a campfire. It's a simple moment, but it speaks volumes about comfort, safety, and deep affection. I focused heavily on the lighting contrast to tell this story. The warm, dancing oranges and yellows of the fire represent that safe, shared space of connection. Outside of that glow, the cool purples and deep blues of the twilight mountain range stretch out, emphasizing that all they need is right there in that circ...

Capturing Serenity: Dive into the Mystical World of the Pale Blue Iris

"Ethereal Iris" — the finished artwork. © John Corney The bearded iris is one of the most rewarding flowers to photograph, and one of the most difficult to photograph well . Its ruffled, almost impossibly intricate petals catch light beautifully — but they also sit in busy garden beds, surrounded by foliage and distractions that pull the eye away. This post is the story of one iris, and how it travelled from a quick phone snapshot to the finished artwork I've called Ethereal Iris . The Garden I Always Meant to Visit I first heard of Descanso Gardens many years ago, when it was featured on one of Huell Howser's shows on PBS . Like a lot of viewers, I watched, thought "what a lovely place — I really must go there someday," and then somehow never did. The years went by and Descanso stayed on the someday list. What finally got me there was my photography friend Denise, who sugge...