Wednesday, July 08, 2026

[Dave]

On a slightly overcast day in January 2007 I had a remarkable photography experience. The city had just stocked a small artificial lake at a local park with large catfish, and somehow the White Pelicans knew it. So over the next couple of hours I watched and photographed their feeding behavior. Later I made  a 9-photo poster.

Due to several hard drive failures over the years I thought the original set of photos was lost, but recently rediscovered them on an old CD that to my amazement was still readable. So I've been able to start reprocessing the best shots

This shot that shows an interesting detail of their feeding. Here's what I think was happening: the pelicans usually snag the fish from behind, then must maneuver it head downwards to swallow it. The water drops flying off the bill suggest that the bird has just has flipped the catfish head down with a strong backwards motion off its head...

   

Sharp-eyed viewers will notice that the second pelican has also snagged a fish.

I'm scheduled for my second cataract surgery later this morning. I'm looking forward to finally getting this done.

[Man From Ironbark]

it is the bird whose beak can hold more than its bellycan.
Made me go looking for photos of our pelicans which are different to yours of course.
Dug out this one of an almost uncountable number soaring on thermals to gain the height to continue on to Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. They fly to many inland wet areas when they fill up for breeding.



Zoomed in a bit.

[Dave]

Nice photos of the soaring, gliding pelicans. I love watching pelicans glide - they seem so primeval, like Pterosaurs from hundreds of millions of years ago.

You allude to that clever short poem about pelicans, their beaks and their bellies. Long attributed to Ogden Nash, there are now several versions with slightly different wordings and a number of claimed authors.

Comparing your Australian White Pelican with the American one: 1) the Australian has, IMO, more attractive plumage; 2) The Australian Pelican is considered to have the longest bill of any pelican; 3) and neither is the largest pelican in the world - that distinction goes to the Dalmatian Pelican.

Many years ago I made a poster using 9 photos from my original shots of the memorable time I spent as the pelicans feasted on catfish. Here's an early version of that poster...

   

[Man From Ironbark]

That's cool series. Glad you could find it

Here's a lone peican at sunrise. I say Peican because my toddler son at the time couldn't get the l in there.
It was on an early morning walk on the beach at a place called Evans Head with my son because he wanted to see the Pelicans before we set off again on our lon journey after camping overnight. Peicans peicans he cried so I took the camera along. Got this shot.

[Dave]

Thank you, MFI.

Missing "i" or not, that's a pretty neat photo.

[Man From Ironbark]

Thanks. Yes. I've always had a soft spot for it.