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Large Kelp Snail

OC Wildlife & BeachTour — Wed, 16 May 2012 23:06:21 GMT

This is a beautiful large Kelp Snail we spotted in the tidepools. We don't see them this large very often so it was a nice surprise!

Northern Fur seal

OC Wildlife & BeachTour — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:10:00 GMT

A happy update on little Gwendolyn the Northern Fur Seal at Pacific Marine Mammal Center. She is doing well. Eating on her own and playing in her private pool. She is adorable! And under the best care she could possibly have at PMMC.

Pool of Sea Stars

OC Wildlife & BeachTour — Tue, 15 May 2012 15:56:00 GMT

We came across this beautiful tidepool full of Ochre Stars. Lately we have been seeing so many Ochre Stars on our tours.

Every Monday Matters

OC Wildlife & BeachTour — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:52:00 GMT

We at OC Wildlife and beach tours think every Monday Matters!

Please join us by doing something good for the earth. Picking up just two pieces of litter a day adds up quickly. We always pick up trash when we go on our tours. There are so many simple things that can have huge impact in helping to keep the oceans clean and improve the environment.

For more tips visit the conservation section of our website at www.ocwildlifebeachtours.com. And for more information on Every Monday Matters visit www.everymondaymatters.com.

Happy Mothers Day!

OC Wildlife & BeachTour — Sun, 13 May 2012 16:24:42 GMT

Happy Mothers Day from all of at OC Wildlife and Beach Tours!

Northern Fur Seal pup at PMMC

OC Wildlife & BeachTour — Thu, 10 May 2012 22:07:26 GMT

The Pacific Marine Mammal center has Northern Fur seal pup that came in on Sunday. She is called Gwendolyn. She was suffering from laceration on ventral side of neck from net/fishing line, and was underweight. They have shaved her neck and cleaned out the wound now.She seems to be responding very well to treatment. She ate by herself today for the first time. She will be in the ICU for awhile since she is so young and seems to be stressed by all the noise. She is busy playing in her own private pool. And she has been preening all day. (How "girlie" can you get?)
We will get some pictures posted of her when we get the okay from PMMC. She is adorable!
We can never thank PMMC enough for all the good work they do saving seals and whales. They are just the best!

We need your votes! Vote for OC Wildlife & Beach Tour

OC Wildlife & BeachTour — Thu, 10 May 2012 20:01:25 GMT

Please vote for OC Wildlife & Beach Tour to be considered for a grant up to up to $250,000. This grant will help grow OC Wildlife & Beach Tour and hire an employee while still being able to give back to the community and non-profit organizations. We need 250 votes to be considered. Log onto missionsmallbusiness.com and vote for OC Wildlife & Beach Tour. When you go onto their website, click on the link (right side) that says: Log in & Support (facebook). Once you click on the link and log in, scroll down and type OC Wildlife & Beach Tour (don't spell out the word "and"). The city is Laguna Hills. Thank you so much for supporting us and voting for us.

Mother's Day Special - gift for mom

OC Wildlife & BeachTour — Thu, 10 May 2012 19:44:06 GMT

Celebrate Mother's Day on a marine expedition and see the beauty of our marine life. Book an ecotour for Mother's Day May 11th through May 14th and receive a gift for mom and 10% off. Reservations: 949-500-6981. Website: www.ocwildlifebeachtour.com.

GIFT CERTIFICATES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE AT 10% OFF.

Here is a video on one of our ecotours:
OC Wildlife & Beach Tour - Tidepool ecotour/seals and sea lions

Sea Gulls being silly

OC Wildlife & BeachTour — Thu, 10 May 2012 13:08:00 GMT

We always see surprising things on our wildlife & beach ecotours. This seagull decided to stand on top of another seagull. LOL! Cirque de Seagull audition perhaps?

Pelican gets a second chance with beak straightening

OC Wildlife & BeachTour — Thu, 10 May 2012 12:17:00 GMT

We are so happy to live in a place that cares so much about the enviroment and the marine life.

A huge thank you to Dr. Marcos Unis for his work!

Beak straightening: Pelican gets 2nd chance

May 7th, 2012, 3:17 pm · · posted by Pat Brennan, science, environment editor

A pelican with a life-threatening beak deformity emerged from a successful, first-of-its kind surgical procedure Sunday, and is now gulping fish at a furious rate as it recovers in Huntington Beach.

The American white pelican, nicknamed Nigel, was captured a week ago near ponds at the Audubon House in Irvine, its lower beak severely bent, said Debbie McGuire, wildlife director at the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center.

The bird had become tangled in fishing line, complete with hook and lure, his lower beak warped to one side.

“He was completely twisted, like a pretzel,” she said.

The bird had not been able to eat for at least several days, and his lower beak was not only skewed to the right, but fractured.

Rescuers fed the animal and prepared it for surgery.

On Sunday, veterinary surgeon Marcos Unis of the VCA All Care Animal Referral Center in Fountain Valley spent about an hour placing pins in the beak.

The pins were attached to a fixation device to hold them in place, he said, and acrylic cement was added.

The bird’s recovery should take about eight weeks.

“We usually remove that type of fixation in about six weeks,” Unis said. “We cut those screws and remove the screws, and remove the cement, so there’s no residual implant once everything heals.”

Such fractures are common in pelicans, Unis said; their beaks are made of cartilage, not bone.

He said he’ll publish the technique.

“If this works well, it will be a means of helping these other guys recover if they have a similar deformity, or even a beak fracture,” he said.

Meanwhile, McGuire said, it’s going to be an expensive recovery for Nigel as he consumes large amounts of fish.

As always, the Care Center is seeking donations, its only means of support. They can be made through the center’s website.

Laguna Canyon Artists - special open house this Saturday

OC Wildlife & BeachTour — Wed, 09 May 2012 18:15:48 GMT

This Saturday Laguna Canyon Artists Studios in Laguna Beach is having their spring open house for one day from 11am to 6pm. You will get to meet the artists in person and see a variety of art. Don't miss this special one day event. Free to the public.

Special gift for mom for Mother's Day

OC Wildlife & BeachTour — Mon, 07 May 2012 20:52:06 GMT

Give a special gift to Mom for Mother's Day to explore our local marine life. 10% off on gift certificates or book an ecotour May 11th-14th for 10% off and a special gift for mom. www.ocwildlifebeachtour.com
(949)-500-6981

Every Monday Matters

OC Wildlife & BeachTour — Mon, 07 May 2012 12:08:00 GMT

It's Monday again! Please help us make a difference today by picking up one or two pieces of trash to help keep our earth and oceans clean.

With Mothers Day, graduation and wedding season coming up, balloons are popular decorations. Make sure that they are disposed of properly. (Popped and put in the trash.) Please do not release them. They are very detrimental to marine animals. They are often mistaken for food and ingesting them can be fatal. Remember that what goes up must come down.

For more information please visit: www.everymondaymatters.com.

Headed straight to the ocean.

Supermoon

OC Wildlife & BeachTour — Sun, 06 May 2012 17:19:55 GMT

Last night we viewed the supermoon. It was amazing! Here is what we saw as the moon rose.

Horn Shark egg

OC Wildlife & BeachTour — Fri, 04 May 2012 12:22:00 GMT

This is a Horn Shark egg. I found it on the beach near some kelp that had washed ashore. When I picked it up I could feel the shark moving around inside. I took a few pictures and put it back in a safe spot in the water. The eggs are shaped in a corkscrew design to help keep them anchored in between rocks. Horn Sharks are small. Only four feet long when they are adults. They have two sharp "horns" that stick up from the dorsal fins on their backs. I have seen quite a few of them snorkeling. They are very shy. Generally as soon as they see you they take off.

Here you can see one of the "horns".

Grey whale sightings and Horn Shark egg

OC Wildlife & BeachTour — Thu, 03 May 2012 01:21:25 GMT

We saw four Grey Whales today in the kelp forest. There were two solo and a Mama and baby. It was amazing! We also came across this Horn Shark egg. The Horn Sharks live in the kelp forest. Their eggs are beautiful. This one was on the beach and when I picked it up I could feel the little shark moving around inside. The egg is now safely in the water.

It is in the water in this picture.

Sea Lion Lion Release

OC Wildlife & BeachTour — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:14:02 GMT

Pacific Marine Mammal Center released Thresh and Clove on Sunday morning. Both are young Sea Lions who thrived under PMMC's care. They zipped out across the beach and swam off. Thank you PMMC for all your wonderful work!

Every Monday Matters

OC Wildlife & BeachTour — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:06:53 GMT

We at OC Wildlife and beach tours think every Monday Counts!

Please join us by doing something good for the earth. Picking up just two pieces of litter adds up. We always pick up trash when we go on our tours. There are so many simple things that can have huge impact in helping to keep the oceans clean.

For more tips on how you can help please visit the conservation section of our website at www.ocwildlifebeachtours.com.

Also visit everymondaymatters.com for more information.

Chiton

OC Wildlife & BeachTour — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 12:06:00 GMT

The Chiton has eight plates that are held together by the snail’s body. This is known as the girdle. The plates are known as valves. The Chiton can roll up like a ball if it is pried off the rock by a predator. The largest ones we find here are the Mossy Chitons. They will scrape a “scar” into the rocks that will become their home. At night they will leave the scar and scrape the rocks for algae and moss to eat while leaving a trail of mucus to follow back to their scar. Chitons have never changed appearance at all through time. There are fossil records dating back over millions of years. We often have people mistake the live Chitons for fossils when they see them. Chiton is also one of the most mispronoced words at the tidepools. It is said with a hard "K" sound instead of a "Ch" sound.

Love these bird photos we captured at Bolsa Chica Wetlands

OC Wildlife & BeachTour — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 16:55:00 GMT

Here are three great bird photos we captured at Bolsa Chica Wetlands. Black-Crowned Night Heron, a Forster's Tern and Ruddy Ducks.

Black-Crowned Night Heron

Forster's Tern

RUDDY DUCKS

BLOG.OCWILDLIFEBEACHTOUR.COM

Large Kelp Snail

Northern Fur seal

Pool of Sea Stars

Every Monday Matters

Happy Mothers Day!

Northern Fur Seal pup at PMMC

We need your votes! Vote for OC Wildlife & Beach Tour

Mother's Day Special - gift for mom

Sea Gulls being silly

Pelican gets a second chance with beak straightening

We are so happy to live in a place that cares so much about the enviroment and the marine life.

A huge thank you to Dr. Marcos Unis for his work!Beak straightening: Pelican gets 2nd chance

May 7th, 2012, 3:17 pm · · posted by Pat Brennan, science, environment editor

Laguna Canyon Artists - special open house this Saturday

Special gift for mom for Mother's Day

Every Monday Matters

Supermoon

Horn Shark egg

Grey whale sightings and Horn Shark egg

Sea Lion Lion Release

Every Monday Matters

Chiton

Love these bird photos we captured at Bolsa Chica Wetlands

A huge thank you to Dr. Marcos Unis for his work!

Beak straightening: Pelican gets 2nd chance