Photographer Kiliii Yuyan almost lost all of his belongings while treading through waist-deep mud to capture the diversity of wildlife at Elkhorn Slough for a story in Nature Conservancy magazine.
“As I tried to walk forward, I nearly walked out of the giant pants we called ‘waders,’” says Yuyan, who was following biologists through the California estuary. “I could barely keep my camera from falling in from laughing so hard!”
The challenging shoot and Yuyan’s positive attitude were ultimately rewarded with incredible photographs of the estuary’s teeming wildlife—including seals, sea otters, and Caspian terns.
Yuyan’s images of agriculture and coastal development also help document the complicated story of the estuary, and its ability to support a rich density of wildlife in the midst of a working landscape.
Here, we’ve posted some of the photographs from Yuyan’s shoot that did not make it into the magazine story. (See more photos and read the story from our August/September 2016 issue here.)
In the photo with the 4 white pelicans the one flying looks as though something is around its neck and on its back and right side. Is that just something that it picks up when fishing? Or is that some garbage it got caught in? I’m assuming it is natural, but I was curious/concerned.
Thank you.
Hi Donna, I had the same concern when I first saw this, but on closer inspection, I am fairly certain that it’s some seaweed, seagrass, or other vegetation that the bird has picked up. If you look at the bird below him, you can see a similar substance in it’s bill, but more of it and I think it helps to clarify that this is something natural. I will check to see if I can can find an expert to confirm. Thank you for the question!
In response to the question regarding the white pelicans. I live in the vicinity of Moss Landing and yes, it certainly appears to be sea grass.
In the photo with the 4 white pelicans the one flying looks as though something is around its neck and on its back and right side. Is that just something that it picks up when fishing? Or is that some garbage it got caught in? I’m assuming it is natural, but I was curious/concerned.
Thank you.
Hi Donna, I had the same concern when I first saw this, but on closer inspection, I am fairly certain that it’s some seaweed, seagrass, or other vegetation that the bird has picked up. If you look at the bird below him, you can see a similar substance in it’s bill, but more of it and I think it helps to clarify that this is something natural. I will check to see if I can can find an expert to confirm. Thank you for the question!
In response to the question regarding the white pelicans. I live in the vicinity of Moss Landing and yes, it certainly appears to be sea grass.