Friday, May 22, 2015

A parade of pelicans

While driving by the lake earlier this week (on our way to town for Younger Daughter to get her driving learner's permit!), we saw a parade of pelicans.


They're surprisingly common around here.



For all their ungainly appearance, pelicans are extraordinarily graceful birds, particularly when they move synchronously to herd fish.



I feel very fortunate to live in a place where we can see pelicans.

UPDATE: Reader Sue in Oregon submitted this Ogden Nash limerick, which I thought was hilarious:

A wonderful bird is the pelican,
His bill will hold more than his belican,
He can take in his beak
Enough food for a week
BUT I'M DAMNED IF I SEE HOW THE HELICAN!"

3 comments:

  1. Pelicans can also be surprisingly bold. We fished a lot while we lived in Mexico, and when we'd clean our catch we'd have to engage someone whose sole task was to keep the pelicans at bay. This came about after one tried to swallow my buddy's FOOT while we were cleaning fish at the water's edge. And he had big feet! LOL!! It happened quickly and we could hardly believe our eyes, even though we already knew from experience they'd come up and snatch a fish right out of your hand, and 'wrestle' you for it if you didn't give it up.

    Being so close and interactive with them was really gratifying. They're magnificent creatures, and the pale yellow ones with blue eyes were my favorites.

    Cool post, Patrice. Thanks for the memory prompt.

    A. McSp

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  2. On the Oregon coast we have brown pelicans. I love this poem by Ogden Nash.

    A wonderful bird is the pelican,
    His bill will hold more than his belican,
    He can take in his beak
    Enough food for a week
    BUT I'M DAMNED IF I SEE HOW THE HELICAN!"

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love the pelicans, we have some here and they are fun to watch - I am however more impressed that you used the word synchronously in a sentence - awesome!! ;)
    -just love words!

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