Wildlife at Ellen Browning Scripps Park, La Jolla

 Beach Below Ellen Browning Scripps Park, La Jolla, San Diego, CA

La Jolla's Ellen Browing Scripps Park is said to be the most photographed place in San Diego according to AAA Magazine. This is one of our favorite places in San Diego to simply watch the time go by. The pictures I am sharing here in this post were all taken today during our leisurely stroll in this park. 

The park has large grassy area for picnic, however, since I will be featuring here the wildlife that abounds in this park, most of the pictures will show instead the ocean bluffs and cliffs. Let me start from the eastern portion of the park at La Jolla Caves.

 Kayakers Attempting to Get In La Jolla Caves

Notice the black birds perched on the rocky walls of La Jolla Caves. They are the cormorants.

 Cormorants Up Close

 Group of Cormorants ( can you find the lone sea lion among the cormorants?)

Cormorants are medium to large fish eating sea birds. They are fun to watch when they are in flight because they form straight line and flap their wings so fast. Aside from cormorants, La Jolla Caves also is the favorite resting place of the CA brown pelicans.

Me and the Pelicans

 Pelican Up Close

 Pelicans In Flight

The California brown pelicans are probably the most prominent birds seen in San Diego's coast. The pelicans are huge birds, though the brown pelicans are the smallest of the 8 pelican species, nevertheless, still very huge compared to the other birds in the area, having a wingspan of about 12 ft. 

Aside from the pelicans, other common birds seen in the area are of course the sea gulls and pigeons.

 Sea Gull in Flight

Pigeon

Now from the winged critters, let us move to the swimmers. In the La Jolla Cave and La Jolla Cove area are the sea lions. 

Sea Lions

Swimming with the Sea Lion @ La Jolla Cove Area

If the sea lions are found in the La Jolla Cove and Caves area, the harbor seals on the other hand are found on the western side of Ellen Browing Scripps Park at La Jolla Children's Pool.

 Harbor Seals @ the western portion of the park

 Yawn, I am sleepy!!

Harbor Seals

What are the differences between sea lions and harbor seals aside from their location (Sea Lion is to La Jolla Cove while the harbor seals are to Children's Pool) ? Perhaps, if you are in the area, the most notable is the noise! Sea lions are very loud, they bark loud! Harbor seals on the other hand are quiet. Also, harbor seals walk and move around with their belly, whereas sea lions can walk on all four flippers.

Aside from sea lions, seals, pelicans, cormorants and other sea birds, of course, other notable wildlife are the squirrels, sea anemone, various kind of fishes, shell fish, and if you look far enough, you may be able to spot dolphins and whales.

 what kind of fish?

 Sea Vegetation

 Fish and Anemone

For more information about the park, please go to San Diego City Parks website, featuring Ellen Browning Scripps Park. - http://www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/parks/shoreline/ebscripps.shtml

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