Gallery- SD Plants & Animals

Gallery of San Diego Beach Pictures

My husband and kids are always making fun of me for always taking San Diego beach pictures. I can not help it! I see something, and I need to take a picture of it. It is that simple.

This philosophy has gotten me into trouble, but not anymore. You see, I have over 12 years of digital photos on three external hard drives and a few hundred on an Ipad. What to do with close to 100,000 pictures? Well, I have recently spent almost 4 hours every night going over EVERY image to find the perfect ones to share with the world.

I hope you enjoy it!

Colleen

#Please click on any photo to see a larger version. Also, you may hover over each image to see the scientific name of each species listed.

I have also included several links that will give you more information about where I took each photo.

Here is more information if you are interested!


Native Plants

San Diego Beach Pictures
California Poppies Aqua Hedionda Lagoon Discovery Center
California poppy-our State Flower, taken at the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Discovery Center
coyote brush tree agua hedionda lagoon native garden
Coyote bush
Coyote Bush Flowering san diego beach photos
A flowering coyote bush was seen at the north channel of Famosa Slough
Blooming coyote bush San Dieguito Lagoon trail
Blooming coyote bush – San Dieguito Lagoon
Blooming Coyote Bush 1 open field Carlsbad
Fully bloomed coyote bush seen in an open field in Carlsbad (Nov)
dwarf coyote bush ground covering Nature Center
Dwarf coyote bush is an excellent ground cover-Agua Hedionda Lagoon Discovery Center Native Garden
Toyon tree agua hedionda lagoon native garden
Also known as the “Christmas berry tree,”-Toyon
Toyon berries loma alta creek trail oceanside
Toyon berries-Loma Alta Creek Trail
Toyon bush loma alta creek trail
Toyon bush on the Loma Alta Creek Trail
Shaws Agave San Elijo Lagoon
Shaw’s Agave- Seen at the San Elijo Lagoon Nature Center
Bush Sunflower San Elijo Lagoon
Bush Sunflower at the San Elijo Lagoon
Seaside Daisy Coastal La Jolla Bluffs
Seaside daisy on the bluffs of La Jolla
Lady Fingers La Jolla Scripps Coastal Reserve
Lady Fingers at the Scripps Coastal Reserve
Salt Grass Ocean Beach Dog Beach
Saltgrass-Trestles Beach
Pickleweed Mission Bay San Diego Beach Pictures
Pickleweed-Mission Bay
Saltgrass bluff boneyard beach encinitas
Saltgrass – Encinitas Bluffs
Beach Evening Primrose South Ponto Beach
Beach evening primrose at South Ponto Beach
California Buckwheat san diego beach pictures
California buckwheat on the Panhe Nature Trail
California buckwheat san diego beach pictures
California buckwheat
Lemonade Berry Bush panhe nature trail
Lemonade berry bush on the Panhe Nature Trail
California Sea Rocket san diego beach pictures
Sea rocket-Cakile maritima

More Native Plants

lemonade berry tree san diego beach pictures
Lemonade berry tree at the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Discovery Center
Deergrass Agua Hedionda Lagoon Discovery Center
Deergrass
Torrey Pine Tree san diego beach pictures
Torrey Pine Tree at the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

The Torrey pine tree is the rarest in the United States.

Laural sumac san diego beach pictures
Laural sumac
dwarf coffeeberry agua hedionda lagoon native garden
Dwarf coffeeberry
Deerweed California Broom panhe nature trail
Deerweed-California broom on Panhe Nature Trail
Deerweed Agua Hedionda Lagoon
Deerweed with flowers at Agua Hedionda Lagoon Hubbs Trail
Castor Bean Plant san diego beach pictures
Castor bean plant on the Trestles Beach Trail
Bladderpod plant san diego beach pictures
Bladderpod at Warm Water Jetty Beach, Carlsbad
Black Sage aqua hedionda lagoon discovery center
Black sage at the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Discovery Center
White Sage san diego beach pictures
White sage
California sagebush agua hedionda lagoon discovery center
California sagebush at the Buena Vista Lagoon
Cleveland sage san diego beach pictures
Cleveland sage
Cleveland sage san diego beach pictures
Cleveland sage at Oceanside Harbor
Goldenbush Batiquitos Lagoon Trail Carlsbad
Coastal goldenbush on the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Discovery Center Trail
coast goldenbush san diego beach pictures
Coastal goldenbush
Prickly Pear Cactus Batiquitos Lagoon
Prickly pear cactus on the Batiquitos Lagoon Trail
Honeysuckle La Jolla San Diego Beach Pictures
San Diego Honeysuckle at La Jolla Natural Park
Tree Tobacco plant panhe nature trail
Tree tobacco plant
Cattails san mateo lagoon san onofre state beach
Bulrush (Cattail) during the summer at Trestles Beach next to the San Mateo River.
Bulrush Loma Alta Slough San Diego Beach pictures
Cattails (Bulrush) at the Loma Alta Slough
Spiny rush Buena Vista Lagoon trail
Spiny rush at the Buena Vista Lagoon.
california monkey flower
Sticky monkey-flower
Chalk dudleya plant south ponto beach
Chalk dudleya -South Ponto Beach
Yerba mansa Famosa Slough Ocean Beach
Yerba mansa at the Famosa Slough in Ocean Beach
Alkali heath salt marsh plant
Alkali heath
Alkali Heath San Diego Bay San Diego Beach Pictures
Alkali heath at the Living Coast Discovery Center at San Diego Bay
Mugwort California Native Plant
California mugwort

Invertebrates

San Diego Beach Pictures
Gooseneck Barnacles San Diego Beach Pictures
Gooseneck Barnacles on the Scripps Pier at La Jolla Shores Beach
Barnacles Mussels san diego beach pictures
Gooseneck Barnacles and California mussels
California Mussels san diego beach pictures
California Mussels at Swami’s State Beach
La Jolla Shores tidepools sea anemone
Sea Anemones at La Jolla Shores Tide Pools
Sand Dollar Coronado Island San Diego Beach Pictures
Pacific sand dollar- Coronado City Beach
CA sea urchins san diego sea world
Pacific purple sea urchin at SeaWorld San Diego
California black sea hare Cabrillo National Monument
California black sea hare at Cabrillo National Monument tide pools.

Birds

San Diego Beach Pictures
Snowy Egret walking Oceanside Pier
Snowy egret- Oceanside Pier
Snowy egret san diego beach pictures
A snowy egret at the Loma Alta Creek in Oceanside
Muscovy ducks san diego beach pictures
Muscovy ducks-seen on the Loma Alta Creek Trail
black necked stilts Oceanside Loma Alta Creek
Flying black-necked stilts at Loma Alta Creek
Royal Terns Swamis State Beach
Royal Terns- Swami’s State Beach
Beach Raven San Diego Beach Pictures
Common Raven-San Onofre State Beach
ravens sandy beach bluff water dripping down
Two ravens finding some fresh water to drink falling off the bluffs
Great Tailed Grackle San Diego Beach pictures
Great-tailed Grackle- San Onofre State Beach
Great Egret
Great egret on a cliff in Encinitas
Great egret san diego beach pictures
Do you see the Great egret?-Famosa Slough, Ocean Beach
great blue heron San Diego Bay
Great blue heron outside of the Living Coast Discovery Center in San Diego Bay
Great blue heron Mission Bay San Diego
A great blue heron at Mission Bay
Heermans Gull Seaport Village San Diego Beach pictures
Heerman’s Gull at Seaport Village -Downtown San Diego
Heermans gull juvenile Americas cup harbor
A juvenile Heerman’s gull -America’s Cup Harbor (Oct)
Heermans gull san diego beach pictures
Heerman’s Gull
Ocean Beach City Beach Western Gull
Western Gull- Ocean Beach Pier

A great way to tell the difference between a Western gull and a California gull is to look at their legs. The Western gull’s legs are pink, while the California gull’s legs are yellow.

Seagull san diego beach pictures
California gull over Moonlight Beach
California Gulls rocky shore waves background
One brown pelican and many California gulls at Trestles Beach
Seal Rock La Jolla many birds
Double-crested cormorants, California brown pelican, and harbor seals off La Jolla
Brown Pelican Oceanside Pier San Diego Beach Pictures
Calfornia brown pelican on Ocean Beach Pier

This California brown pelican above loves to hang out at the same spot on the Ocean Beach pier, day after day!

Brown Pelicans San Diego Harbor
Calfornia brown pelicans at Oceanside Harbor

Brown pelicans love to hang out on the docks waiting for the fishing boats to come in.

Willet shorebird tidal pool Trestles Beach
Willet at San Onofre State Beach
least sandpipers san diego beach pictures
Sanderlings watching the winter surf at Swami’s State Beach
Whimbrel walking on beach bluffs waves
A whimbrel at Boneyard Beach, Encinitas
Whimbrels san diego beach pictures
Many whimbrels at Moonlight Beach, Encinitas
Marbled godwit and willet mission bay
A marbled godwit on the left and a willet on the right-Mission Bay
Greater Roadrunner
Greater Roadrunner at the Living Coast Discovery Center
Western grebes Americas Cup Harbor San Diego Bay
Western grebes- Aechmophorus occidentalis-America’s Cup Harbor, San Diego Bay

Mammals

San Diego Beach Pictures
Baby harbor seals La Jolla Childrens Pool
Harbor seals at La Jolla Children’s Pool

One of the most exciting places where I like to take visitors from out of town is La Jolla! We are never disappointed when we get a chance to see these majestic creatures up close.

Harbor seals childrens pool san diego beach pictures
Children’s Pool in La Jolla– Harbor seals
Behind Childrens pool la jolla san diego beach pictures
Behind the Children’s Pool, La Jolla
Seal Rock San Diego Beach Pictures
California sea lions on Seal Rock- La Jolla
California sea lion san diego beach pictures
Do you notice the tag right above its right flipper? Stonesteps Beach, Encinitas
Oceanside Harbor CA sea lions dock sailboat
California sea lions- Oceanside Harbor
CA sea lions Oceanside Harbor san diego beach pictures
California sea lions hanging out in the Oceanside Harbor
stellar sea lion san diego sea world
Stellar sea lion at SeaWorld San Diego

Misc.

green sea turtle san diego beach pictures
Pacific green turtle- SeaWorld San Diego
sea turtle san diego beach pictures
Living Coast Discovery Center- Pacific green turtle
Green sea turtle seaworld san diego
Pacific green sea turtle
Bat Ray Living Coast Discovery Center
Bat ray- Living Coast Discovery Center is located in the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
shovelnose guitarfish oceanside pier california
Shovelnose guitarfish on Oceanside Pier

 

 

 

6 Replies to “Gallery- SD Plants & Animals”

  1. I’ ve had the privilege to visit San Diego one time. I couldn’t tell you much about it other than its a beautiful place.

  2. Wow, I’m not from the area so I thought I should check your gallery to see what San Diego is like, and I’m glad I did! Thanks to your pictures I’ve learnt a lot about San Diego’s landscape and flora and fauna. There are some things I didn’t even know existed. For instance, I have no idea what a Pacific sand dollar is… is it some kind of fish? I’m intrigued…

    1. I am so happy that you enjoyed the gallery! As for a sand dollar, it is related to the starfish in the Phylum Echinodermata. If you look closely, you will see the same ‘5-arms’ as the starfish. Other examples would be the sea cucumber and the sea urchins I had never seen a live sand dollar before, so that day was a great treat!

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