A few days ago at least thirty American White pelicans showed up on the river, and they've been busy ever since. Every day after work, I've been going down to the river and sitting on the rocks along the bank, watching the pelicans bob on the water, fly around, and catch fish in their beaks.
The flowing water attracts other birds as well: a pair of belted kingfishers chatter as they fly overhead; one dives for a fish and then perches on a tree stump in the river with the small fish in its beak. Numerous gulls fly overhead, also diving for fish. I know from experience that I am too slow with the camera to successfully get a gull action photo, so I concentrate on the pelicans. On the sodden banks of the river, great egrets and great blue herons perch in trees and stand, often on one leg, on logs.
The pelicans float placidly on the surface of the water, although periodically one or even several will suddenly rear up, wings flapping rapidly while they appear to run on the water. They then stop and dip their beaks down into the water. More often than not at least one pelican will emerge from the scrum with a tasty meal. Its beak is stretched out, full of fish and water; then it raises its beak and swallows the fish. All of this happens with split-second timing.
It's a good thing that I can delete the photos I don't like, because I take a bunch.
As I stand and watch the pelicans while talking to a fellow nature observer/photographer, I notice that one seems to be in a fight with a fish- until I look closer and realize that the pelican has gotten caught on a hook from a nearby fisherman's line. The pelican thrashes around attempting to free itself; there is nothing I can do to help it except cross my fingers and hope it gets free. After a minute of struggling, the pelican finally manages to get loose of the fishing line and immediately flies off downstream. Several other pelicans follow, evidently having decided to abandon that portion of the river- although within a few minutes they begin to come back.
The sun begins to set and the wind starts to get chilly; it is time to go. The pelicans remain, at least for the moment.
No comments:
Post a Comment