A few days ago my sister, niece, and I enjoyed a safari on the estuary known as Elkhorn Slough, which is near Monterey, California. It was a delightful two-and-a-half hours with helpful commentary provided by the captain and the on-board naturalist. We saw seals, sea lions, otters, pelicans, herons, cormorants and a variety of other birds.

Elkhorn Slough is a wildlife reserve and the lands surrounding it are being restored and protected. The Elkhorn Slough Foundation website says: Elkhorn Slough is an ecological treasure at the heart of Monterey Bay. It provides much-needed habitat for hundreds of species of plants, animals and birds. The Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Elkhorn Slough Foundation work with government, community agencies and other partners to protect this precious and scarce environment.

Here are a few of my pictures from that day.