BajaNomad

What a beautiful show to see.

BigOly - 1-21-2012 at 03:22 PM













Russ - 1-21-2012 at 03:32 PM

As always..... exceptional!

BigOly - 1-21-2012 at 03:43 PM

Hey Russ, good to hear from you. Have you checked out our web site lately? Lot of fun there.
Oly:yes:

bacquito - 1-21-2012 at 04:01 PM

Great shots!

Russ - 1-21-2012 at 04:15 PM

Wow! how did I miss that? I bookmarked it and will spend a lot of time exploring your site. Thanks!

DianaT - 1-21-2012 at 04:31 PM

Great---they are so much fun to watch and those are great captures!

Skipjack Joe - 1-21-2012 at 05:01 PM

What an interesting sequence of shots. They really help you understand what happens. But it would be great to see what happens underwater. Does that great neck pouch open soon after impact covering an area like a throw net? Or does it strike out at the fish once the proper depth has been reached?

Also. Do you have a set of similar shots of a feeding booby that you could post? I would be interested.

BigOly - 1-21-2012 at 06:04 PM

Good day Skipjack. If you get a chance to check out our web site you will learn that Brown Pelicans hold up to 3 gallons of water and fish in their pouch. That' one big scooper and they don't dive deep. All the action takes place near the surface. I do have photos of Boobies diving, I'll look through our(me and my wife) archives and see what we have.

David K - 1-21-2012 at 06:10 PM

Great job! I watched pelicans diving in front of our camp on Shell Island, and took so many photos to try and capture the moment just right... alas, I don't have the correct camera or skill to do what you did!

Eli - 1-22-2012 at 06:22 AM

Great series, thanks Oly!

Cypress - 1-22-2012 at 07:39 AM

BigOly, Thanks. Pelican populations are on the rebound along coastal areas of the northern Gulf of Mexico.:yes:

Pescador - 1-22-2012 at 08:04 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Cypress
BigOly, Thanks. Pelican populations are on the rebound along coastal areas of the northern Gulf of Mexico.:yes:


Shoot, they have been better than on the rebound in our area and have been doing their very best to whitewash my boat. I could do with a few less, I think :o:fire:

Bob H - 1-22-2012 at 11:06 AM

It's always a good show watching Pelicans hitting the water for food! Outstanding series of shots.

Ken Bondy - 1-22-2012 at 11:15 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
What an interesting sequence of shots. They really help you understand what happens. But it would be great to see what happens underwater. Does that great neck pouch open soon after impact covering an area like a throw net? Or does it strike out at the fish once the proper depth has been reached?

Also. Do you have a set of similar shots of a feeding booby that you could post? I would be interested.


Igor I have seen it underwater on several occasions, the impact takes them a few feet underwater with beak closed, then they gulp at the prey.

[Edited on 1-22-2012 by Ken Bondy]

Ken Bondy - 1-22-2012 at 11:17 AM

Great sequence of shots BigOly!!! Very impressive.

Skipjack Joe - 1-22-2012 at 12:27 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Ken Bondy
Quote:
Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
What an interesting sequence of shots. They really help you understand what happens. But it would be great to see what happens underwater. Does that great neck pouch open soon after impact covering an area like a throw net? Or does it strike out at the fish once the proper depth has been reached?

Also. Do you have a set of similar shots of a feeding booby that you could post? I would be interested.


Igor based on what I've seen underwater on several occasions, the impact takes them a few feet underwater with beak closed, then they gulp at the prey.


Excellent. Thanks, Ken. Now in comparison with boobies. It seems as though they dive and pursue by swimming down their prey while pelicans do not pursue underwater. Is that right?

Last summer we were in a whirlpool of divebombing boobies. It's one of the greatest spectacles in baja. How they don't impale one another is a miracle to my way of thinking.

Ken Bondy - 1-22-2012 at 12:53 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
Quote:
Originally posted by Ken Bondy
Quote:
Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
What an interesting sequence of shots. They really help you understand what happens. But it would be great to see what happens underwater. Does that great neck pouch open soon after impact covering an area like a throw net? Or does it strike out at the fish once the proper depth has been reached?

Also. Do you have a set of similar shots of a feeding booby that you could post? I would be interested.


Igor based on what I've seen underwater on several occasions, the impact takes them a few feet underwater with beak closed, then they gulp at the prey.


Excellent. Thanks, Ken. Now in comparison with boobies. It seems as though they dive and pursue by swimming down their prey while pelicans do not pursue underwater. Is that right?

Last summer we were in a whirlpool of divebombing boobies. It's one of the greatest spectacles in baja. How they don't impale one another is a miracle to my way of thinking.


Correct Igor. Boobies definitely pursue their prey by swimming underwater. Based on what I have seen, it's not an extensive swim but they definitely do swim for short distances before popping to the surface. Pelicans have to be happy with where they find themselves when the downward motion stops. I think that is optimized by extremely keen eyesight, and that's probably why they evolved the big pouch - you get one big gulp per dive, make the most of it. Cormorants are probably the most amazing bird I've seen underwater. They are master swimmers, fast, maneuverable, every bit as good as fish, and they stay submerged for a long time. I had one swim by me at 90 fsw at Anacapa once.

[Edited on 1-22-2012 by Ken Bondy]