Monterey Harbor, Commercial Wharf

On a perfect sunny morning we first observed the usual gathering of gulls at El Estero Lake and got this shot of an immature Mew Gull, not a particularly rare gull but one that winters only along the Pacific coast. The range map in the Cornell Labs site provides interesting additional information here.

This Killdeer was very active, running among the many gulls that were enjoying the early morning sun. As described more fully in the Cornell information here, we observed the typical  "running in spurts" behavior. We got this shot during one of the frequent stops to check on the surroundings.

On the way from El Estero Park to the Commercial Wharf we passed this Redwing Blackbird singing in the treetops along the path. Note the puffed-up appearance while singing and the typical red wing markings that are different from the photos in the Cornell Lab information here. We saw no evidence of the red and yellow wing marking on this example.

At the Commercial Wharf we observed this Common Loon close to the pier. This loon was constantly diving for food - returning the the surface briefly only every minute or two. There are more interesting facts about their feeding habits and behavior here.

As we moved further out onto the pier, one of the members of our group heard a "crunching" sound coming from under the pier. On the inner harbor side of the pier we saw a mother and baby Sea Otter finishing a tasty morsel - likely a small crab. The following information is adapted from the Sea Otter Project web site. More information from the site can be found here.
California sea otters are listed as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act and "depleted" under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. We have also heard recent reports that the mortality of Sea Otters in California is a continuing concern. They are very interesting to watch and are constantly feeding and in motion while awake. When resting they often wrap themselves in kelp apparently to keep from drifting too far.

This shot of another Mew Gull was interesting as the light came through the pilings and captured the typical Mew Gull appearance sitting high in the water with crossed wing feathers. We have learned that gull identification is often difficult. Are there any other opinions about this one?