Sunset Cliffs and Low Tide

San Diego Metro KOA

Chula Vista, CA

January 21, 2022

Sunset Cliffs Natural Park is a 68 acre San Diego park dedicated in 1983.  It is a unique coastal environment that features expansive ocean views...

Photo taken at the top of the cliff wall looking out

...dramatic cliff formations...

Photo also taken at the top of cliff wall looking down

...native coastal sage scrub habitat...

...and a "captivating intertidal area" which I refer to as tide pools.

As the name implies, the sunset is the biggest draw to these striking cliff walls and breathtaking views.  I took this photo of a sunset at Sunset Cliffs back in March, 2013...the first time we ever went to Sunset Cliffs and way before we decided we don't like driving at night.  It was my first time...EVER...on the Pacific Coast and what a WOW moment in our travels it was for me !  Somethings you just never forget! 

Since 2013, we have visited Sunset Cliffs several times.  Not for the sunset, but for the tide pools.  The landscape here is so different than La Jolla beach.  I love them both !  

In addition to peaceful sunsets, another big activity at the cliffs is surfing.  No wettie or stick (that's surfer talk for wetsuit and surfboard) for me, but it is fun to sit and watch.  

Getting to the ocean is quite precarious.  First the steps, that seem endless as they switchback at several small landings, have to be carefully maneuvered so as not to get bonged in the head. The surfers must be accustomed to folks like me because they are always polite and turn outward at the landing to let me by.  All the while, I'm thinking "I do have to climb back up these stairs".  

Once at the bottom, there is a small rock wall with three man-made steps that remind me of the Moki steps we have used on a few hikes like Corona Arch in Moab. The next hurdle is rocks...smooth, round, big and small rocks with lots of crevices.  They are not particularly slippery, but careful footing is needed.  

And then, let the fun begin !

No starfish again.  I was lucky enough in January 2016 to see three starfish in one day... two Knobby Stars (one orange and the other brown) and a Bat Star.  The photo below is the Bat Star I saw that day.  

Sunset Cliffs Natural Park is less than 20 miles from the KOA. Leaving Point Loma to return home is a nice ride...then again, I'm not driving.

Up next, Ocean Beach.  Until then,

HAPPY TRAILS !

Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge

San Diego Metro KOA

Chula Vista, CA

January 18, 2022 

Tijuana Slough NWR is a 1,072 acre wetland located where the Tijuana River meets the ocean.  

Tijuana, Mexico is on the left and Imperial Beach in San Diego is on the right

The refuge was established in 1980 and is part of the 2,800 acre Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve.  There are only 28 of these reserves in the United States.

The slough's habitats include open water, tidal salt marsh, beach dune, riparian, vernal pool and coastal sage scrub habitats.  Just as we turned a corner to walk the McCoy Trail we saw a huge wing span in the pine tree.  This Black-crowned Night Heron, a new to us bird, was settling in for the day after an active night of foraging for food.  There were two of them which is not uncommon.

We had no idea what to expect and todays visit was  to check things out.  Already, I know we have to return...we barely scratched the surface.  A huge thank you to Jeff and Fran for suggesting we visit there. 

 

The highlight for the morning was to see another new to us bird. 

This beauty, a Yellow Crowned Night Heron, was so focused on breakfast that he didn't even notice us.  It was a great opportunity to capture some photos. 

What a smart and elegant looking bird.  They are discribed as not as slender as most herons with smooth purple-gray colors and a sharp black and white face. 

Unlike the Black-crowned Night Heron, they forage at all hours of the day and night stalking crustaceans in shallow wetlands. 
 

Their diet mostly consists of crabs and crayfish which they catch with a lunge...

...and a shake.

We could hear the shell cracking for a few minutes.  He even dropped the crab twice and caught it before he swallowed it whole.

What an absolute treat it was to spend a few minutes among the birds this morning.  The Yellow Crowned Night Heron wasn't the only hungry bird we saw.  These cute little Sparrows were hopping around all over the place.

We enjoyed a nice steady rain last night. I had forgotten how nice the sound of rain is in the MH.  It was still cloudy and a wee bit chilly this morning when we headed out to the refuge.  The flowers enjoyed the rain as much as we did.   

Hummingbird Sage

Tijuana Slough NWR is definitely a beautiful place to spend a few hours.  

Up next Sunset Cliffs.  Until then,

HAPPY TRAILS!