A Real OC Celebrity: The Cypress Snowy Owl!

A rare Snowy Owl landed on a rooftop in Orange County in December and caused quite a stir. This owl was a welcome visitor. It was last seen in mid-January 2023, so hopefully it has made a safe journey back north to find her other Snowy Owl friends!

Fall Pelagic Birding Tour in Orange County

The Fall 2021 Sea and Sage Pelagic trip was really great. The boat left just after sunrise and returned just before sunset, and the day was full of fun birds and great people. Red-billed Tropicbirds were the highlight of the day!

My Birding Kit Fits in a MindShift BackLight 18L

The MindShift BackLight 18L is a perfect backpack for a photographer who carries camera gear and wants to carry other gear, too. Many packs don’t consider that we may want more than just camera gear, but ThinkTank & MindShift did with this pack. It’s a comfortable, great looking, and really well-designed pack!

Winter Pelagic Birding Tour in Orange County

The January 2020 Sea and Sage Pelagic trip was really great. The boat left just after sunrise and returned just before sunset, and the day was full of fun birds, gorgeous ocean views, and meeting some great people. I’m already looking forward to when I can join another Sea and Sage Pelagic trip!

My Field Bag: Timbuk2 Flight Messenger

The Timbuk2 Flight Messenger bag has become a regular part of all of my birding hikes. It holds and organizes the smaller essentials. It also carries binoculars, water, small camera accessories, and a small camera. It is comfortable on multi-mile hikes and allows quick access to items without having to remove my camera.

A Pelagic Birding Tour Around the Channel Islands

We had a great time on the Channel Islands Pelagic birding trip. It was a new experience, being on a boat for twelve hours, and being with some serious birders. I appreciated the opportunity to see some birds that I would never see on land and enjoyed the views and the other animals that we encountered.

OC Parks: Quail Hill Loop Trail

This is a great trail for a quick morning or evening hike, or a great loop to do a few times if you are trail running or desperate to get out on your mountain bike! It’s easy to access and provides a great amount of wildlife and wilderness in a fairly busy area.

ThinkTank Airport Advantage Roller Bag Review

The ThinkTank Airport Advantage is a well designed minimalist rolling camera bag, and perfect for hauling through airports and tossing (carefully) in car trunks. This is a gear hauler, for when a lot of gear is needed, and it hauls that gear safely.