Chula Vista Bayfront Park is positioned between the Chula Vista Marina and San Diego Bay. I make a point of visiting this place whenever I’m on errands nearby, but it often warrants a visit on its own merits. Wintering along the bay shore may be Brant, Surf Scoters, grebes and other divers near the shore.
South of the park at low tide, lies a vast mudflat where shorebirds, and egretta forage. If the tide is in, loons and grebes will chase fish into the shallows, and skimmers will fly by exercising their skill at slicing the calm water surface with their bills as only they can. Gulls and terns may fly by slowly offering eye-level views. The birds are great, but for the photographer, the lighting is a real challenge, as the sun is behind most of the subjects. Even so, the temptation to try is too strong for me to resist.
Birds I met on this expedition were Horned Grebe, Brant, Surf Scoter, Western Grebe, Eared Grebe, Pacific Loon, Forster’s Tern, Northern Harrier.

Horned Grebe(Podiceps auritus) |
Description: First light at Chula Vista Bayfront Park, Chula Vista, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:01:22 7:50 |
Location:
Bayfront Park |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 |
File Name: D3X0420-HornedGrebe |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Brant(Branta bernicla) |
Description: Chula Vista Bayfront Park, Chula Vista, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:01:22 8:19 |
Location:
Bayfront Park |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 |
File Name: D3X0486-Brant |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Eared Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: Chula Vista Bayfront Park, Chula Vista, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:01:22 8:36 |
Location:
Boal |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 |
File Name: D3X0375-EaredGrebe |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Horned Grebe(Podiceps nigricollis) |
Description: Chula Vista Bayfront Park, Chula Vista, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:01:22 8:39 |
Location:
Boal |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 |
File Name: D3X0392-EaredGrebe |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Western Grebe(Aechmophorus occidentalis) |
Description: Reflecting well at Chula Vista Bayfront Park, Chula Vista, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:01:22 8:34 |
Location:
Bayfront Park |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X0355-WesternGrebe |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Pacific Loon(Gavia pacifica) |
Description: Chula Vista Bayfront Park, Chula Vista, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:01:22 8:40 |
Location:
Boal |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/3200 |
File Name: D3X0395-PacificLoon |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Pacific Loon(Gavia pacifica) |
Description: Chula Vista Bayfront Park, Chula Vista, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:01:22 8:40 |
Location:
Boal |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/3200 |
File Name: D3X0396-PacificLoon |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Surf Scoter(Melanitta perspicillata) |
Description: Female at Chula Vista Bayfront Park, Chula Vista, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:01:22 8:24 |
Location:
Bayfront Park |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 |
File Name: D3X0521-SurfScoter |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Surf Scoter(Melanitta perspicillata) |
Description: Male at Chula Vista Bayfront Park, Chula Vista, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:01:22 8:28 |
Location:
Bayfront Park |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X0526-SurfScoter-Male |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Forster's Tern(Sterna forsteri) |
Description: Foraging at Chula Vista Bayfront Park, Chula Vista, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:01:22 13:12 |
Location:
Bayfront Park |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X0536-ForstersTern-FirstWinter |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Forster's Tern(Sterna forsteri) |
Description: Foraging at Chula Vista Bayfront Park, Chula Vista, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:01:22 13:13 |
Location:
Bayfront Park |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/3200 |
File Name: D3X0556-ForstersTern-FirstWinter |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Northern Harrier(Circus cyaneus) |
Description: Chula Vista Bayfront Park, Chula Vista, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:01:22 13:18 |
Location:
Boal |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 |
File Name: D3X0620-NorthernHarrier-Female |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Northern Harrier(Circus cyaneus) |
Description: Foraging over the marsh at Chula Vista Bayfront Park, Chula Vista, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:01:22 13:18 |
Location:
Bayfront Park |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 |
File Name: D3X0622-NorthernHarrier-Female |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |

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