BajaNomad

Pelicanos up close showing their personalities

DianaT - 11-3-2007 at 04:20 PM





Diver - 11-3-2007 at 04:29 PM

Is that third one giving me the eye ?
She looks like she is giving me the eye !! :lol:

bajajudy - 11-3-2007 at 04:38 PM

Diver
It's a he:P
I have to look for the ones with white heads. The ones here are brown pelicans, I think.
What kind of lens did you use.....or are you walking on water again.

BigWooo - 11-3-2007 at 04:47 PM

Wow!
Great photos.

Diver - 11-3-2007 at 05:30 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajajudy
Diver
It's a he:P


Hey dude, I don't play that way !! :lol:


Very nice shots, Diane.
Thanks !!

amir - 11-3-2007 at 05:34 PM

Pelicanos magnificos! :bounce:

Muchas gracias por las fotos... :spingrin::spingrin::spingrin:

Leo - 11-3-2007 at 05:43 PM

nice shots!

What camera are you using?

Ken Bondy - 11-3-2007 at 06:08 PM

Nice photos Diane!! They sure are great subjects and you got 'em very well. ++Ken++

Skipjack Joe - 11-3-2007 at 11:52 PM

What I find curious is that small hook at the end of their bills. Almost like a finger nail. They all have it. It just never looks like it's made from the same matter.

bajajudy - 11-4-2007 at 07:43 AM

I have watched them and they definitely use that hook to clean themselves. BUT it is funny you should bring that up because the other day I was in the water with some pelicans and was observing them up close and personal. They also seem to use that hook to close their beaks so nothing can fall out...particularly sardinas, kinda like a hasp.

bajadock - 11-4-2007 at 08:41 AM

thanks for the fun pix, Diane. I enjoy watching pelicans surfing for fish. When I figure out my new camera, will post.

fdt - 11-4-2007 at 09:50 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Diver
Is that third one giving me the eye ?

I think it's more like the look. :lol:

DianaT - 11-4-2007 at 11:16 AM

Thanks---glad you enjoyed the pix. We have tons of pelicans here---both kinds.

These were taken from a boat---lobster fishing boat. I know this sounds crazy, but I donīt remember exactly what my camera is and I donīt have it here. It is a Cannon SLR and my lens is a Tarron travel zoom. Still learning to use it which means I want more equipment. :yes:

I love that hook at the end of the beak---also, I can spend hours watching them skim the water --- another one of our exciting front porch adtivities. :lol:

Diver, you do need to get down here and take some lessons in bird gender. :yes:

Diane

Diver - 11-4-2007 at 04:40 PM

Here's a brown one from La Ventana

IMG_0566.jpg - 46kB

Diver - 11-4-2007 at 04:41 PM

And this white one from the same place.

IMG_0564.jpg - 50kB

Natalie Ann - 11-4-2007 at 05:01 PM

I believe this is a juvenile brown pelican... note the lightness of the colors along beak/head/neck. Not sure about this juvenile thing, as these pelicans and their changing colors, as well as which is male or female, which is what type... it's all a bit confusing to me.

juvenile.jpg - 42kB

Natalie Ann - 11-4-2007 at 05:02 PM

I know this guy's in full breeding plumage... but be he a white or a brown pelican?

breeding-plumage.jpg - 47kB

Skipjack Joe - 11-5-2007 at 05:02 AM

Nice picture Natalie. It's a brown. The other species is white all over and much larger. In fact, it's amazing just how big a white pelican is. It may be our biggest bird after the cranes and herons.

DianaT - 11-5-2007 at 03:45 PM

Hope that seagull got out of the way. Great shot.

Diane

tigerdog - 11-16-2007 at 03:24 AM

The ones with the white heads are just brown pelicans in breeding plumage. It's their way of saying "Oh baby oh baby!" I think both males and females develop that breeding plumage, but I could be wrong. Great photos!!

"Oh, a wonderous bird is the pelican!
His bill holds more than his belican.
He can take in his beak
enough food for a week.
But I'm darned if I know how the helican."
-Dixon Lanier Merritt
(1879-1972) ;D

DianaT - 11-16-2007 at 02:52 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by tigerdog
The ones with the white heads are just brown pelicans in breeding plumage. It's their way of saying "Oh baby oh baby!" I think both males and females develop that breeding plumage, but I could be wrong. Great photos!!

"Oh, a wonderous bird is the pelican!
His bill holds more than his belican.
He can take in his beak
enough food for a week.
But I'm darned if I know how the helican."
-Dixon Lanier Merritt
(1879-1972) ;D


That is a cute poem.

There are definately two types of pelicans here, I think---one is a lot smaller ----curious, if the whiteheaded ones are just brown ones with breeding clothes, then what are the smaller brown ones?
Thanks

Diane

Natalie Ann - 11-16-2007 at 02:58 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by jdtrotter
-curious, if the whiteheaded ones are just brown ones with breeding clothes, then what are the smaller brown ones?
Thanks

Diane


Diane - The brown one (no white or gold head) which I called a juvenile was smaller than the ones with breeding colors. There were several slightly smaller ones like him/her... and they all seemed to diplay only the lighter forms of color change.

I do remember (once Igor reminded me) that all of these are brown pelicans. The white ones are huge, and have a black 'stripe' seen on the expanded wings. They are really beautiful birds, too. I have seen them during breeding season at Pyramid Lake in Nevada, and I did not see any which changed colors as these brown ones do.

Nena

White pelicans

bajajudy - 11-16-2007 at 03:41 PM

Took these from our kayak about 5 years ago. Havent seen any white ones since.

whitepel.jpg - 24kB

Attack of the White Pelicans

bajajudy - 11-16-2007 at 03:42 PM

Kinda fuzzy but I still like it:P

whpelfly.jpg - 19kB