May 2, 2017
I took my parents to Muir Woods and Point Reyes on Tuesday. Those are two of my favorite weekend destinations. They're even better to visit mid-week given the large weekend crowds.
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| California Giant Salamander -- Muir Woods National Monument, CA |
We saw a good amount of wildlife on this day trip. The first animal was a surprise. It was a California giant salamander resting in the creek just above the first bridge in Muir Woods. It was a huge salamander. I'd guess it was at least five inches long, maybe more. I say it was a surprise because the last thing I expect to see in Muir Woods is wildlife. Even birds are a rare sight in the woods, although the occasional song can be heard from high up in the trees. I've seen a couple of squirrels near the visitor's center and that's about it. So, seeing this salamander was pretty cool.
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| Muir Woods National Monument, CA |
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| Muir Woods National Monument, CA |
Tuesday was a bright, sunny day. Too much sun is a bit of a problem when taking photos in Muir Woods. It's normally a rainy day destination for me because I don't have to fight the high contrast of light and dark under the redwood canopy when the sky is covered with clouds. I enjoyed the challenge on this trip, though, and although the hots have their flaws I think I did better than I could have a couple of years ago.
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| Muir Woods National Monument, CA |
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| Muir Woods National Monument, CA |
After Muir Woods we had lunch at Pelican Inn. I'd hoped to drive up Highway 1 to Point Reyes but the road is washed out in both directions around the Inn. So, we drove back out to 101 and then over to the Point.
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| Cattle & Tule Elk -- Point Reyes National Seashore, CA |
My parents had never seen elephant seals, so we headed out to Chimney Rock to see the seals. Along the way we saw the Southern herd of tule elk hanging out with cattle. They're often visible near the turn off to Drake's Beach, but this is the best look I've ever gotten of this group of elk.
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| White-crowned Sparrow -- Point Reyes National Seashore, CA |
There were a lot of elephant seals on the beach. They were all pups. The adults have left for the season, leaving the pups behind for a few months until they are ready to head off into the ocean on their own. These pups were pretty big, though. At first I wasn't convinced that there weren't some adults hanging behind, but the ranger at the visitor center said that there only pups on the beach and although they were large, they looked more like sea lions than elephant seals so I slowly became convinced.
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| Elephant Seal -- Point Reyes National Seashore, CA |
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| Elephant Seal -- Point Reyes National Seashore, CA |
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| Elephant Seal -- Point Reyes National Seashore, CA |
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| Elephant Seal -- Point Reyes National Seashore, CA |
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| Elephant Seal -- Point Reyes National Seashore, CA |
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