Drops of Beauty #141

10/13/2023 - One really big drop!

This pelican deserves his own post! The pelican, along with two of his friends, had been hanging out in the middle of the lake all morning. I kept hoping one would come closer - a couple times they took off flying and circled the lake, but they just never came close enough to really photograph. Just as I was getting ready to leave, one pelican took off from the middle of the lake, flew down to (relatively) near where I was standing and did THIS:

Landing flaps down - oh you are so awesome Mr. Peli! You’re going to land for me?

Throttling down - it takes a lot to stop that big body on descent.

Will he stick the landing?

Wait…dude…head first?

So this is pelican doing his best osprey imitation?

Apparently that big fluffy body keeps him from going too deep - more like a barrel roll.

It’s really a pretty small splash, all things considered!

Wings down, feet up…

It was quite the dramatic dive FROM THE AIR, but it didn’t produce a fish as far as I could tell. I mean, did he just think well I watched the terns do it and I watched the osprey do it so what the heck? Or maybe he was like hey, there’s that photographer, I could be FAMOUS!

But just as quickly as he arrived, he was off again:

“I think I can, I think I can…”

It’s more of a hopping start than a running start.

But those wings!

And the miracle of feathers - I mean, this bird should not fly, right?

Ok, another hop…

A little push off the water…

And we are airborne.

I can only think he knew he had to visit the “lady of the lake” to have his photo taken doing his really awesome acrobatics - right? I was certainly grateful!

Take care friends and remember with all the bad things going on in the world, there is still beauty, there is still grace, there is still humor, and there are (apparently) acrobatic pelicans!