Connor, Malayan Tiger - San Diego Zoo

Here are a few images of Connor, the Malayan Tiger at the San Diego Zoo, from Saturday September 28. I think I spent more time visiting with my friends than I did shooting pictures on Saturday, but I did get some fun shots of Connor in the pool. These cats definitely like being in the water. 

Click here to see a few more images from the San Diego Zoo on Saturday September 28, 2013.
    

Connor Poses For Us, and Tiga Lounges In The Pool - Tigers at the San Diego Zoo

Saturday morning September 21 started out well, with Connor the Malayan Tiger pretty much posing for portraits for quite a while.  This first image is bit different, a lot darker than what one would expect, but I like the way the white fur on his face stands out. 

Later in the day, after Connor went in for the evening, Tiga came out. I managed to get some interesting close-ups. She has beautiful golden eyes.

After she finished her mid-afternoon snack Tiga decided to go lounge in the pool.

Later, we ran across the baby Panda, high up in a tree.

Click here to more images of Connor and Tiga, also the baby Panda and some Orangutans and Gharials, from the San Diego Zoo on Saturday, September 21, 2013.

      

Exploring San Diego - Wedding Kimonos at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park

There is an exhibit of Japanese wedding kimonos on display right now at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park. The new expansion of the garden itself is also now open. We stopped in for a brief visit this afternoon. The detail on these is pretty amazing. These were displayed behind glass so we were not able to shots of the whole kimono, there was way too much glare.

There were also some flower arrangements on display.

     

Exploring San Diego - Marston House Museum & Gardens

Considered to be one of the finest examples of Arts and Crafts style architecture, the Marston House was designed and built in 1905 by architects William Sterling Hebbard and Irving Gill. In 1987 the Marston family donated the house to the City of San Diego for use as a museum. Guided tours of the house are offered.

The house is surrounded by about 5 acres of gardens and lawn areas.

Click here to see a few more images of the Marston House and Gardens, at Balboa Park in San Diego.
    

What A Difference A Little Over 2 Years Can Make

On July 2, 2011 I had the opportunity to see the then-3-month-old Malayan Tiger cubs at the San Diego Zoo, a few weeks before they went out on public display. I posted a few pictures from that day in a blog post back in 2011, but I thought a comparison might be fun to show just how much they can grow up in what seems to us to be a short period of time.

Here's Connor when he was just 3 months old (he was born April 2, 2011). I guess I didn't really notice it at the time, but he was looking right at me. 

Fast forward a couple of years, to August 18, 2013, and I think I'm starting to see a pattern here. He's still looking right at me.

There are lots more pictures of Connor, his brother Christopher, and all the rest of the Malayan Tigers at the San Diego Zoo in other posts on this blog. Check out the Archive at the bottom of the page.
   

Big Cats (and a Red Panda) - San Diego Zoo

Here are a few shots of the big cats from the San Diego Zoo this morning. When I first arrived the tiger was napping at the top of the hill, so that meant it was time to check out the leopards and mountain lions. I ran into a friend at the tiger enclosure, and we headed off to Cat Canyon.

We passed by the Red Panda on the way.

The California Mountain Lions (Puma, Cougar, or several other names) were a bit more visible, at least for a bit.

I happened to be in front of the Amur Leopard just as an Arctic Wolf walked by with a keeper on the roadway below. That always gets their attention.

I went back and hung out with the tiger for a while, but did not get many shots. On the way back to the exit I did catch a glimpse of the Fishing Cat.

Click here to see a few more images from Sunday, September 15, 2013 at the San Diego Zoo.
     

Tiga the Tiger - Saturday, Sep 7, 2013

Here are a few shots of Tiga, the young female Malayan Tiger at the San Diego Zoo, from Saturday, September 7.

Click here to see a few more images from Saturday September 7, 2013 at the San Diego Zoo.