Brown Pelican Squadrons

Squadrons of Sea-Fowl

5/26/2019

William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, landscape, birding and nature photography blog documenting the wonders of God’s creation."Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." Revelation 4:11

Saturday, June 1, 2019 at sunrise. Group of Brown Pelicans flying over the Atlantic Ocean. Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

...squadrons of sea-fowl sweeping through the air...
William Bartram, Travels, chapter 1

Brown Pelican in flight, Hilton Head Island beach, South Carolina Picture

Sunday evening, May 26, 7:38 PM - Large flying Brown Pelican with wings spread. Photographed on Hilton Head Island beach, South Carolina, USA. The brown pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, is a North American bird found on the Atlantic Coast.

Hilton Head Island has long been one of our favorite family vacation locations. While most of my family enjoys time on the beach and in the ocean, I always make time for early morning walks on the beach with my camera. One sight that always amazes me are the squadrons Brown Pelicans that pass back and forth through the air along the shoreline. The Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) is a common sight along the southeastern coastlines. They pass swiftly with the wind, just off shore, sometimes only a few feet above the water. Their return flights are more laborious, being against the wind, and typically stay several hundred feet inland, cruising just above the rows of Hilton Head Island hotels.

Individual pelicans will often break off from the cruising squadrons for a time of fishing. A pelican will slow its flight and pick a spot for a dive. Once committed, it is a full frontal dive into the ocean from over 50 feet in the air! The plunge often appears quite ungraceful with a forceful impact upon the surface that I wonder how they are not injured in the process. Nevertheless, the bird always surfaces and floats comfortably upon the waves without any sign of injury or distress until it lifts off again to repeat the process. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology states, “During a dive, the Brown Pelican tucks its head and rotates its body to the left. This maneuver is probably to cushion the trachea and esophagus—which are found on the right side of the neck—from the impact.” I guess that is how it is done!

Sunday sunset, May 26, 2019. Large flying Brown Pelican with wings spread. Photographed on Hilton Head Island beach, South Carolina, USA. The brown pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, is a North American bird found on the Atlantic Coast.

Wednesday morning at sunrise, May 29, 2019. Laughing Gull, Hilton Head Island beach, South Carolina The laughing gull, Leucophaeus atricilla, is a medium-sized gull of North and South America. Black head seagull standing on one foot on the sandy beach.

Wednesday morning at sunrise, May 29, 2019. Soaring Brown Pelican, Hilton Head Island beach, South Carolina Large Brown Pelican soaring through the air over the Atlantic Ocean. Pelecanus occidentalis dives into water to feed.