Chicken Nuggets of Wisdom, and a group of some of my favorite Wanderlusters have teamed up with OM Media Group to help you stay connected while wandering the globe, and make sure you never miss a shot. Share your favorite travel photo(s) for a chance to win (a Motorola Droid Turbo). Be sure to join @theonlinemom and the Verizon Wireless Buzz crew for some fabulous Twitter chats – every Friday at 3:00 p.m. eastern using the hashtag #VZWBuzz.
An African Safari is on the top of my travel bucket list. I dream of capturing the images of sunset savanna landscapes decorated with silhouettes of wildlife with my camera.
Adventures of that magnitude are costly but until I get to Africa, I can plan trips to seek out California’s beautiful settings and wildlife around me. Fortunately, I live in coastal Southern California where wildlife is all around us, especially marine life. A drive along the west coast can reveal whales, dolphins, elephant seals and more. I also love traveling to one of my favorite cities, Santa Barbara, host to a beautiful zoo located along the Pacific Ocean and that is home to more than 500 animals (many from Africa!).
This year I spent my birthday at the Santa Barbara Zoo. My family patiently joined me, while I photographed beautiful snow leopards, creepy condors and adorable sea otters. My heart almost exploded when I saw baby meerkats for the first time.
Here are some of the animals that graced me with their presence.
Giraffes
Their long lashes and their long strides are amazing. This is Micheal, he a 16-foot tall Masia giraffe and I’ve been told that he can be a bit of a bully to the other giraffes. He tends to hoard the feeding area.
Meerkats
Can you say, “Awww”? Did you know that Meerkats are part of the mongoose family? A group of Meerkats is a “mob” or a “gang”. Meerkats share jobs such as looking out for predators.
Snow Leopards
Their eyes went right through me. I was mesmerized by their beauty. These endangered animals have huge paws that act as “snowshoes” in the snow.
Chilean Flamingos
“She’s got legs”… These tall birds can reach up to 40 inches in height! Did you know that what looks like their knees is actually their ankles? How many legs can you count in this picture?
Sea Otters
I missed them when I first went by their tank. Thankfully they were out before I left. Did you know they are part of the weasel family? They also have the densest fur in the animal kingdom. Sea Otters are delightful. They bask in the sun and frolic in the water. These two were rolling around in the sand. Maybe they had an itch?
Some other photos from my photo excursion:
What location is on the top of your travel bucket list? What would you photograph? Get creative and bring your dream destination to you. You could win a Motorola Droid Turbo from Verizon!
Terms:
Valid to residents of the United States only. All photos must be original with no copyright or distribution restrictions. Photos remain the property of the entrant, who further agrees to give Chicken Nuggets of Wisdom, OMMedia Group, and participating bloggers permission for use solely in promoting this giveaway. Entries with nudity, violence or illegal activities will be deleted and the entry voided. Prize fulfillment will be completed by OMMG. No cash value or substitutions. Winner will be chosen by random number generation and announced within 48 hours of the contest end date (8/30/2015). Winner will be notified via email and has 72 hours to provide shipping information for the prize. If 72 hours lapses without contact, a new winner will be drawn.
This is not a sponsored post. Photos copyright Tee Burgess. Opinions are my own.
