Meal Time (Photo of the week)

A sea otter cleans his teeth with his tongue as he eats his meal.

This week’s photo was taken last month in Moss Landing, California. Sea otters can frequently be seen here floating in the small harbor, usually eating or grooming. This area is also home to the Elkhorn Slough – famous for its many birding opportunities. The Elkhorn Slough Foundation boasts a checklist of 346 species of resident and migratory birds.

Sea otters are fascinating to watch due to their displays of anthropomorphism and (sometimes comical) interactions with each other. By floating on their backs as they eat, they appear very relaxed and laid back. I always imagine a big smile on their face, as if they are about to tell a great joke.

Great Egret At Dawn (Photo of the week)

A great egret searching for food is reflected in early morning light
A great egret searching for food is reflected in early morning light

Usually, capturing dynamic interesting light requires getting up very early in the morning. Luckily, this is also the time of day where birds tend to be very active. This week’s photo was taken near my house, in a slough extending from the San Francisco Bay. The calm water of the early morning was perfect for great reflections, and I was rewarded with lots of feeding and preening activity.

Copyright 2017 Hank Christensen