Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Pod of prodigious pelicans!



Had a hobble stroll around Lake Monger just 5km from the city on Monday and was surprised to see how deep the water was especially as Lake Joondalup is almost dry after summer. The bird-life was thriving.. the pod of Australian pelicans plunge diving Olympic style :) Recorded as having the longest bill of any living bird the Australian pelican is less piscivore and more 'smorgasbord' :) than other pelicans.. anything from insects, other birds, snakes and even the occasional small dog can fit in that huge gullet! Was fascinated to see quite clearly in the shot below the flexible, almost delicate framework structure of the throat pouch and in the shot below the enormous amount of water that can be scooped up as they cruise along the surface. Definitely deserving of the 'there's nothing as odd as a pelican' title! Happy Wednesday, take care and stay safe... p.s. last two shots our national emblem the black swan and a view of the city from the north side of Lake Monger..


35 comments:

  1. They're peculiar, and yet look like real characters.

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  2. Indeed we see their goon-y show here as well. Well captured, G!

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  3. The Black Swans have always appeared wonderful to me.

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  4. Excellent!!!! I love Pelicans. They are fun to watch in action. Your last shot of the Black Swans is awesome! What an amazing sight! You sound like I do after our summer has destroyed me:) I hate the 100+ degrees and in a few months we'll be back again to those nasty temps. Our water will be drying up and yours will hopefully be flowing again:) Have a good week!

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  5. Quite a birdy post, Grace! ;-)

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  6. Surely that's a convention!
    I like your alliteration!

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  7. I can almost hear those pelicans splash around :)

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  8. Your pelicans are beautiful birds. We enjoy the Great White Pelicans around here from Spring to Fall, but they winter far to the south. Smart birds. Our pelicans eat mostly fish from our glacial lakes. The black swans are majestic.

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  9. nice pictures,i like them,pelicans are cool.. ew

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  10. You have many fine feathered friends!

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  11. Smashing pictures but please don't overdo it on the strolls...

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  12. I think they are just incredible and what a gorgeous day too!

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  13. Nothing polite about those eating habits. :-)

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  14. They really are rather unusual creatures, aren't they? They look so gracefull when they are flying along the shoreline and so awkward when they are sitting around. I love the swans and the city view.

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  15. And as my niece said at the weekend, the beak of a pelican can hold more than its belly can.

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  16. They are a bit peculiar looking, almost cartoonish. Great captures, though!

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  17. A plethora of birds - wonderful shots as always.

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  18. They are a bit of magic. Some of them actually hang out this far north in the winter, just below the first lock and dam on the Mississippi in our suburbs. Must be good fishing.

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  19. Some strange "models" you have photographed.:-)

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  20. Love the pelicans and those black swans are so amazing. I saw 2 in Melbourne on a visit. Wish we had some here at Coombe Country Park.

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  21. Pelicans have such huge personalities to match their oversized beaks. Great collection here Grace.

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  22. Amazing pictures Grace. Pelicans are such strange birds, I watched them in the Zoo, how they have to eat their fish with those awkward beaks.

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  23. "Pod of prodigious pelicans"--try saying that fast three times!

    Love the pelicans, the ducks, the black swans--all of them!

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  24. Superbes photos. On ne peut pas dire que les pélicans soient les plus beaux des oiseaux, mais ils restent très étonnants à suivre. Je ne s ais pas si leur légende est vraie : on dit que par manque de nourriture, iles donnent leur cœur à manger à leurs petits. Dans la religion chrétienne, on représente d'ailleurs cet oiseau, nourrissant ses petits avec son propre cœur.
    Belle journée.

    Roger

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  25. Since a pelican once stepped up towards me, by golly, he was huge, I sure do have some respect, Grace!
    The swans are very beautiful. But again... my cousin once got bitten by a white one... respect ;-)

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  26. I just saw a Pelican today on the river in Fremantle, they are such huge birds!

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  27. now that's a mouthful! great shots!!

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  28. Wonderful photo's of a 'Pod of prodigious pelicans!'

    Thanks for sharing

    All the best Jan

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  29. The first when I saw "real" pelicans was in California and I was screaming with delight not noticing people around me who probably thought that I was completely crazy.
    Black swans are so incredible elegant and beautiful.

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  30. Those pelicans are looking rather active. Great shot of the pouch detail.

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  31. I would have loved seeing all of these....pelicans fascinate me.

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