An Avian Solstice

December 22, the winter solstice, is our shortest day. We hold our breaths to see if the sun will come back on the following day. In southern California it's a given. We have had high pressure days with clear, clear skies. From Cabrillo National Monument I can see all the way south into Mexico. I can see the San Bernardino mountains (lightly capped with snow) to the northeast and, driving up the coast to Orange County yesterday, Catalina Island was clearly visible from Oceanside.

The solstice coincided with a full moon (and Mars is as close to Earth as I'll ever see it in this incarnation). The birds took advantage of the low tide. I caught these three photos in Point Loma of an ordinary seagull, a snowy white egret, and a great blue heron.