male-pelican3

Isn't he handsome?

ByCapt. Wendy

Every fall, one of the things I look forward to is the arrival of the brown pelicans, our state bird.  The other is the arrival of the eagles.

After returning from a recent fishing trip, this guy performed a water dance for me in hopes of getting me to toss him some fish remains.  I hated to disappoint him, but I was just cleaning the boat–not fish.  Trout are more easily cleaned if they are iced down for a while, as I explained to him, but he just kept on performing.

He gave it his all.  He faced the falling tide and paddled against it, holding himself in one place.  I was very impressed at his graceful ability to tread water upstream while posing.

Is that not a face only a female pelican could love?  He laid it on thick, posing, turning, looking at me from all angles.  It’s as though he was saying, “I’m too sexy for my feathers.”

This is right before he gave up on me and took off.  Thank you for the up close and personal, Pierre.  I’m so sorry I did not have any fish guts to feed you.  Maybe next time.  You will come back, right?  I mean, I will see you again, right?  Hey!  Hey!  I’m cleaning fish at 5 o’clock.  See you then?

Smitten by a pelican,

BW

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5 Comments

  1. We have a pelican festival at Grand Lake O The Cherokees every year and it’s really fun to watch them migrate to the lake. It’s fun until your on a jet ski and one decides to dive bomb you thinking your a giant fish…..

    Reply

  3. Nice photos. I love watching them in flight and (like the photos) preening and posing. Water landings are another story …LOL!

    Reply