December 26-31 -- The End of 2014 in San Pedro...

It's been a time of reprise and endings -- repeated visits to favorite haunts here in San Pedro and the Palos Verdes Peninsula, leading to that final hike before I head back on the road on January 7. But it's not goodbye for good; it's more like "auf wiedersehen", whose literal meaning is "until we see again".  So here are some of the places and wildlife I've seen during these last days of 2014...

Probable Gray Whale off the coast

Peregrine Falcon at South Coast Botanic Garden

Hermit Thrush (they're EVERYwhere) at the Garden's water fountain

Spotted Towhee at Ocean Trails

California Gnatcatcher, also at Ocean Trails

Cactus Wren braving a windy day (Ocean Trails)

Allen's Hummingbird on the same windy day

Red-breasted Merganser swimming underwater

Osprey evading a forming wave after a dive

Another memorable San Pedro sunrise, looking east

That same memorable sunrise, looking north to San Gabriel Mountains

Uncommonly-seen White-throated Sparrow at San Pedro's Alma Park

Snowy Egret flyby along shoreline

Out-in-the-open Mr. Varied Thrush at Alma Park

Out-in-the-open Mrs. Varied Thrush at Alma Park

Snowfall down to 1,000 feet at "Saddleback" in Orange County

The Los Angeles basin and San Gabriel Mountains from George F Canyon Trail

I can hardly wait for 2015 to unfold...