A marvelous bird is the pelican . . .
. . . his beak can hold more than his belly can!
He can hold in his beak enough food for a week,
But I do wish I knew how the hell he can.
I learned this from my daddy when I was a child. I’m not sure where it originated, but since he was a good Christian man, I’d never heard the second stanza. Now that I think about it, I never in my whole life heard my him say one “ugly” word–not even Hell.
The brown pelican is our state bird, and this one was finally glad to pose for me. 
I have been trying to photograph this pelican in the bayou for over a week, but every time I walked toward the bank, it flew away. So I had to resort to shooting from my vehicle, and forgot one of the basic rules of using a zoom – STEADY STEADY STEADY. I was in such a hurry to get a few shots, that I failed to rest my arm on something steady. So, I apologize for the poor photo quality.
From the archives. Originally posted 1/21/2008. Edited today.
Busy busy busy with Camp Dularge. Hope to have photos soon!!!
BW
We were down your way this morning. I commented to Hubby that I’d never seen so many Pelicans at Lake DeCade. Yea, we were the only fools out there riding in the cold chocolate milk. Did find some decent water off a canal and that is where we saw the majority of the pelicans . I think they’re little legs were frozen because we sure didn’t seem to bother them.
We rode by Camp DuLarge. Looking good. We would have stopped if we’d seen your truck. AND… if I’d had a WORKING phone I would have called to see what you were serving for brunch!
Oh, Steffi, you should let me know when y’all are coming! I could have at least made coffee for y’all! I was there off and on all day long doing one thing or another. Please call next time!
Mom’s strongest word I ever heard was d**n and that was when I was in my 30’s. I never, ever heard your daddy say a crooked word. I would’ve fainted. I adore pelicans, second only to manatees. Great pics.
Fabulous photos of the state fowl! Wow!!!
A wonderful poem!!! The Pelican by Dixon Merritt As far as I know there isn’t a second verse. I have to say that pelicans are among my most favorite of birds.
I’m still in Kauai……will email or call when I get back home.
Don’t ya’ll just love how Traveling Kim just slips it right in there that she’s “still in Kauai”? LOL! I just can’t keep up with her. Kim, you know I’m teasing! Did you also realize it’s been one year since we did this and this? What a great time we had. Since I’m so busy at cypress house, I might have to bring one of these out of the archives!
Son & I often take off in the jeep just to see whats down the road..lol Done this for years…I remember we decided to check out the lock-n-d#mn’s (lol) on the Red River going south from Shreveport. I was soooo suprised to find pelicans this far north!!! They were so impressive to watch!
Deb
God speed in your work. Hope its all going smoothly.
If you watch pelicans long enough, they really are amazing creatures. I love to watch them dive, head first, and come up with a beakfull of water and fish and then tilt their heads way back and swallow.
I would love to write a report of what I’ve been doing, but without photos it would be sooooooo boring!
I love watching Pelicans fly and the way they “fish” for their food, but I’ll also say this…….they aren’t the most graceful when they make a water landing.
White ones migrate through here spring and fall. Grey ones have been nesting at Illinois river backwaters south of Peoria. I like watching them at certain infamous culvert off La 1.
We have a Pelican Festival every June here on Grand Lake O The Cherokees. I love taking a jet ski out early in the morning and just go along a shoreline and seeing them fly and dive. Sometimes they like to play “chicken” with you and I usually lose, the idea of smacking into one of them at the rate of speed I usually travel on the water is enough to make me swerve, lol.
Jet ski? High speeds? I’m liking you more and more, Mrs. Coach. By the way, did you hang the photo yet?
I have this internal need for speed, boat, car, jet ski, whatever lol. I do walk slow though, I’m clumsy.
The picture is hung in my office!!!! I get lots of compliments on it!
MrsCoach, where is this Grand Lake O The Cherokees???? Wonder if its close to E. TX, lol. We have a Lake O The Pines close by, lots of furry squirrels and curious skunks raid your campsite but we havent made a festival out of them…..yet The squirrels we shoo, the skunks, we ask if they want dip to go with those chips…
BW, hows it going at the camp??
Deb
Deb – I have photos of LilSis and some of our kids at Lake O’ the Pines from a few years back! Yea, we went there a couple times growing up all the way from Louisiana!!! Y’all need a report on Camp Dularge?
Sure.
sweetlilmagnolia- Grand Lake O The Cherokee’s is in NE Oklahoma. The towns of Grove, Afton, Ketchum, Bernice, Langely and several other smaller communities all line the beautiful shore line!