Adult males

It's summer, and the adult males are back on the beach.

 This one lets the audience know he's here. He's gained plenty of weight on his post-breeding season foraging migration.

 They are piled up, although this isn't a very busy time of year. The age range is from five years to maturity. Some could be as old as twelve. They are in varying stages of molting, accounting for the brown skin peeling off to reveal gray skin underneath.

Time to settle down and get some rest.

A pup's first year

My friend Charmaine Coimbra has created a video following a pup's first year, from birth to the first migration.

She took the photos at Piedras Blancas, documenting the progression from

 birth in January

through weaning in February,

learning to swim in March, and departing for that first migration north to feed in April. She's put music to it and it's a great photo essay.

Thanks, Charmaine!