Biking and hiking go together with birding along the creek. Over the years, more than 300 bird species have been recorded in the area. (Jane Engle / Los Angeles Times)
A great blue heron perches on a shore rock at Ballona Creek, part of a wetlands wonderland. The heron, which can stand 4 feet tall or higher, is the largest in North America and has a 6-foot wingspan. (Jane Engle / Los Angeles Times)
A black-necked stilt gets ready to probe the water with its long beak. The Ballona Creek is both a flood-control channel and a rest stop for migrating birds on the Pacific flyway and other routes. (Jane Engle / Los Angeles Times)
An adult western gull, left, and one in its first year stand at the creek’s edge. Scores of gulls roost on mud flats or soar toward the sky, filling the air at Ballona with their distinctive chatter. (Jane Engle / Los Angeles Times)
An adult brown pelican, left, pairs up with a juvenile. The brown pelican population, once decimated by DDT, has bounced back in the decades since the pesticide was banned. (Jane Engle / Los Angeles Times)
A mallard duck and chicks are among the birds that can be viewed year-round. Others include gulls, egrets, herons and pelicans. (Jane Engle / Los Angeles Times)
Double-crested cormorants are seen in silhouette in a tree near the creek. (Jane Engle / Los Angeles Times)
