Merry Christmas

2011 British Columbia Kayak Trip

It starts at 11 seconds...

For more information on kayak trips, go to: Sea Kayak Adventures

Thank you..

Have a great day! :)

Our Farewell...

The morning we needed to catch the ferry to leave, we got word that all 88 Orcas were almost to Friday Harbor heading towards Cattlepoint, so we went down to see them pass by. I have never seen them in Middle Channel from shore before. It was a gorgeous morning, not windy as it typically is there. Small groups came down with a few spy-hops, including one double spy-hop making my day. One came inside Goose Island (between Goose Island and shore) to where all the others went on the outside of Goose Island..

Here is one photo from this morning.

You can view more on my website at: http://www.creativefreedomphotography.com/p922865577

Have a wonderful week! :)

What is this lighthouse called?

Hello...

Does anyone know what Lighthouse this is off of Victoria, BC?

Thank you.. :)

Anacapa Island...

Anacapa Island....

Bill of Rights - Tall Ship

View of Anacapa Island from the Bill of Rights.

A gorgeous summer day to be out on the water last month.

Are you sure its mid-June?

Cow/Calf pair

Cow/Calf pair

A foggy, chilly, but lovely & glassy day out on the water on the west end of the channel... You would almost think its mid-July here by the number of whales seen today... Blue Whales - at least 30 with lots blows everywhere in the distance, Humpback Whales - at least 15 with lots blows in the distance, a dozen Pacific White Sided Dolphins, and about 800-1000 Common Dolphins (total of 3 groups)...

Lots of tail flukes, surprisingly from Blue Whales, and I stopped counting at 22 flukes. The Humpbacks, as always, did tail flukes. :)

Serendipity

I had seen the rainbow occur during the winter here at the falls, but nothing like what I experienced last week... It was unbelievable.

Waves of California

Here is a photo that was taken 2-3 years ago here in California...

You can see the rest of the photos from this particular outing here:

http://www.creativefreedomphotography.com/p178636399

Mourning Dove

Saw this beautiful Mourning Dove in Malibu at the end of April

Sunday morning visitor....

Sunday morning as we were waiting for our breakfast to finish cooking, this Eagle flew into our backyard and perched on the tree... He was beautiful sitting there.

An Unusual Occurrence .

It's not too often you see one of the Southern Resident Pods circumnavigate San Juan Island, but it's even more strange they do it twice in 24 hours. A little concerning actually.

This is a small group of members whom belong to J-pod including J-2; Granny. Granny is the oldest living Southern Resident Orca (second from last fin). It is believed that she is 100 years old this year. Yep, 100.

In the background is Roche Harbor on the north end of San Juan Island. The church overlooking the harbor was built in 1892 (Methodist Church) by John S. McMillan. It was a schoolhouse during the week for his employees' children. Then in 1960, it was dedicated as a Catholic Church (Our Lady of Good Voyage), and is the only privately owned Catholic church in the United States today.

Weekend Wildlife Report

Hello,

I just returned from an amazing weekend in Washington. Here are just a few photos from the trip, and wildlife report of what all we saw. More to come including a full report of one amazing encounter with Transient Orcas.

Friday... travel day... 1 Bald Eagle.. Lots of Pelagic Cormorants, Gulls, Deer, Herons, Canadian Geese

Saturday... Lots of Bald Eagles (probably about 6-8).. Lots of Rhinocerus Aucklets, Common Loons, 2 Tufted Puffins off South Beach, J-Pod including J-L 87 Onyx circumnavigating SJI, Canadian Geese, 3 Foxes, Deer, Gulls, Pigeon Guillamonts, Harbor Seals

Sunday... Lot of miles on the water today.... Lots of Bald Eagles (12+), Foxes, Deer, Raccoon, Two separate sets of Transients (a group of 6 in Trincomali Channel off Wallace Island), lots of Harbor Seals in Active Pass (and other areas), 5 Transients (T-10s, T-26, and ?) - Amazing Encounter near Morsby Island. Saw the same 5 T's in the evening following them in Haro Strait to Kelp Reef Marker, Stellar Sea Lion, Harbor Seals

Monday.... Lots of wildlife... Mouflon sheep, Sitka Deer, Canadian Geese (family - adults & chicks), H

arbor Porpoise, Lots and lots of Bald Eagles (10-15), 3 different species of fish (Rock Cod?, Link Cod, ?), lots of Pigeon Guillamonts, Gulls, Cormorants, Rhinocerus Auklets, lots of Harbor Seals... Travel day...

Have a wonderful and safe Memorial weekend!

Michele

Christmas 2010

This was taken around Christmas time in 2010...

A few photos from the past week....

American Bald Eagle with what is left of it's meal. This Bald Eagle is a juvenile, and in an Eucalyptus tree.

The view of Prisoners Harbor and beyond from Pelican Bay trail on Santa Cruz Island.

Channel Islands National Park

Humpback & Blue Whales... First official whale watch trip of the season with Island Packers . We spent a couple of hours with these whales. Overall, we saw/encountered at least 25 Humpbacks, and 3 Blue Whales, but saw many more spouts in the distance. Humpback and Blue Whales come to the west end of the Santa Barbara Channel late spring through early fall yearly to feed.

Humpback Whale lunge feeding

Humpback Whale tail lobbing

2 Blue Whales with Santa Cruz Island in the background.

Just some fun facts.....

*The Blue Whale is the largest animal ever to in-habitat earth - 100 feet long (equivalent to two city buses)

*They can weigh up to 2 tons (that is 15 school buses).

*Their tongue weighs as much as an elephant (100 people can stand on it. A volkswagon bug can park inside its mouth).

*Their Heart is the size of a Mini Cooper, and a human can easily crawl through its major arteries.

*A toddler can fit in its blow hole.

A photo of a Blue Whale at the end of its blow taken in 2010.

Baby Orca Breaching

It was a beautiful evening, and a great trip..

...2010.....

Anna's Hummingbird

Enjoyed a day out on Santa Cruz Island with this little Anna's Hummingbird...

Have a great weekend! :)

Rose Valley

A small portion at the bottom of Upper Falls...

Toddler Elephant

There were so many Elephant "kids", and so active... Here is one photo from our spring break outing...

Have a WONDERFUL week...

Northern Migration....

Baby Gray Whale laying on top of its mother with a friend next to them coming to the surface... These whales are heading back to their feedings grounds; Bering Sea... More photos on my website coming soon.. www.creativefreedomphotography.com

Happy Easter!!

Waterfall in Ventura County

These photos are from Upper and Lower Falls... To see more, visit: http://www.creativefreedomphotography.com/p918122963

Winter Snow Geese.....

Snow Geese migrate to northern California for the winter...

Galway Downs Three Day Event

Kayla and I went to Galway Downs Three Day Event yesterday. The weather was perfect even with some light fog and drizzle in the morning. The last time I was at Galway doing photography was 2006, so needless to say, it was nice to be back. Here is a photo from the day...

Intermediate level rider jumping over the Picnic Table on crosscountry at Galway Downs Three Day Event

Have a GREAT week!

Gray Whales from Shore.....

I headed to work this morning via Hwy 1... Not even a 1/4 mile down Hwy 1, I came across a blow in the distance... 1/4 to 1/2 mile further south, I saw two more blows, so I thought if I had some time, I would take a walk on the beach and see if I see any whales.. Later, I arrived at the beach and within 10 minutes I saw a blow in the distance heading "north"... Nice timing.. I kept looking and looking, but didn't see anymore blows, but I knew I saw one. Thirty minutes later I finally saw another blow with another blow (there were two whales)... Once they reached the point, there were three whales, but they were staying down 10-15 minutes, and only surfaced for 2-3 blows each cycle. Ughhh, that makes it tough to track. While I was waiting for their third surface, another whale appeared, but was a small one (juvenile) that was probably born last year... Again, in an hour, I saw it twice - very difficult to track as it stayed down for long periods barely showing itself when it surfaced. All those whales left the area... I never really did see their blows in the distance "north" of me, but that wasn't too surprising. About 15-20 minutes later, another whale appeared - another juvi. This one was a little easier to track, but still had some long down times until it left the area, then it surfaced often with good blows. This juvi and the earlier three took their time moving out of the area... I needed to leave by now, so I headed back to the car, but saw another blow, so of course, I turned around and went back to watch this one go by, but it was just as difficult as the others - long down times, barely surfaced, but even more difficult to track. I saw it once in 35 minutes and by then, another whale came through the area quite fast with just a few blows. I left... I hope to see the cow / calf pairs when they start their migration back to Alaska (Bering Sea).

After storm panorama of Ventura...

Click on photo to see larger size... More photos on my website of Ventura and areas in Ventura County...

Just for fun....

Here is a montage of some Brown Pelicans taken down south about two weeks ago. Unfortunately, the lighting was quite harsh, and these have yet to be edited (straight from camera - small jpgs). Have yet to edit the Raws if I even choose to do so... This is something I do not see often at all.

Enjoy! :):)

Bald Eagle...

I had the opportunity to photograph a Bald Eagle along with some

other birds in Ojai last week.

Badlands National Park

A few years ago at sunrise in Badlands National Park, South Dakota....

You can see more photos at http://www.creativefreedomphotography.com/f410863883

February 21 to February 25, 2011

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Maricopa Highway...

Santa Paula

Apricot trees in bloom in Ojai

Maricopa Highway

Monday, February 22, 2011

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Friday, February 25, 2011

Gridley Trail in Ojai

Overview of Ojai Valley from Gridley Trail

Click on the dates to see more photos from that day....

Have a GREAT week!