Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve

This blog will discuss another location where I like to photograph.  It is in San Diego County, California and located in Imperial City.  The Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve is the largest coastal wetlands in Southern California.  The reserve is managed by many different agencies, NOAA, California State Parks, and US Fish and Wildlife Service.  The southernmost part of the reserve abuts the Tijuana River, which is the boundary between the United States and Mexico.  Included in the reserve Is the Border Field State Park And the Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge.

A beautiful visitors center, located in the upper portion of the reserve is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 AM to 5 PM.  There are many trails to hike and photograph the fauna and flora in various habitats, including beach, dune, mudflat, salt marsh, Rypien, coastal sage scrub, and upland habitats.  The area is home to the endangered California least tern, the endangered light-footed Clapper rail, and the threatened snowy plover.  There have been over 370 different species of birds documented here.

There many different species of plants and if the weather has been cooperative beautiful flowers.  By walking slowly and keeping your eyes open.  You may find various species of reptiles and mammals.

Arrive early and stay late.  Dress appropriately and do not forget water.  If you walked to the mouth of the Tijuana River, you can look into Mexico and out over the Pacific.  If the day is clear, you can see the Los Coronado Islands.

Beach Ramble

Blue mussels washed up into the wrack line

Once a month, Allens Pond Massachusetts Audubon Sanctuary in Dartmouth, Massachusetts has a Beach Ramble, led by my compatriot Doug.  The Beach Ramble looks at the biodiversity of the Beach Loop Trail.  We look at and discover the fauna and flora of the various habitats that we walked through.  Starting out at the field station, we walked through fields, go by a salt-marsh and a salt pond, travel along the road that passes between the pond and the beach and finally walk up the beach.  Every time we do the ramble, there is always something different that we find the pending on the season and what the waves bring into the shore.

Milkweed beetles mating

Bayberries in the early stage of growth, you can see the waxy outer coat

Claw of a blue crab, with the red pincers you can tell it was a female

Some of the many cobbles on the beach

A fish head showing its teeth, probably a Tautog

Hickory Tussock Moth Caterpillar

Northern rock barnacles in the canal between Allens Pond and the pannes

Red Seaweed - Gracilaria

Red Seaweed - Polysiphonia

Rosa Rugosa Hips

The next Beach Ramble will be held August 10 from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM, everybody is welcome from five years old and on up.  This is a free walk, but please register either online https://www.massaudubon.org/Nature_Connection/Sanctuaries/Allens_Pond/index.php or by phone 508-636-2437.  Hope to see you there.