Yosemite Valley, the Grand Canyon, and Brown pelicans diving. Things everyone should see. The Salton Sea State Recreation Area is in the southern California desert, can often smell quite bad, and has a lot of fish — Tilapia. So there are birds, especially in the migration season. And just for photographers, they're often within 50 feet or less from the shore.

I could have gotten lower for the POV except for the heavy metals and rotting fish.

I slept on a nearby beach one night for the morning light on the eastern shore. It worked. This Brown pelican was curious about my noisy camera.

Name: 02-brown-pelican-2400.jpg Views: 113 Size: 324.5 KB

Canon 1DX, 500mm f/4 IS, 1.4X TC III for 700mm.
1/2000, r/5.6, ISO 320.
Tripod mounted.
Bumped up the shadows and clarity a bit in LR. Nik Dfine NR on the background, unsharp mask on the bird in PS.

Looked closely for spots.
I'm concerned about the square aspect, but it seemed to fit the subject.
Thanks.