Strand Feeding Dolphins 1 - click to enlarge

Strand Feeding, Dolphins (1)

This is the first page of three Dolphin Strand Feedings.  For additional details on this phenomenon click here: Bottlenose Dolphin. 

The Dolphins here circled in a small group right along the shore. Between 50 to 25 feet out.

Strand Feeding Dolphins 1 - click to enlarge
Strand Feeding Dolphins 1 – click to enlarge

They circled closer, making small splashes and shallow dives.

Strand Feeding Dolphins 1 - click to enlarge
Strand Feeding Dolphins 1 – click to enlarge
Strand Feeding Dolphins 1 - click to enlarge
Strand Feeding Dolphins 1 – click to enlarge

After a few passes, with no notice that I could tell, one made a sudden splash and drive right up to the shore.

Strand Feeding Dolphins 1 - click to enlarge
Strand Feeding Dolphins 1 – click to enlarge
Strand Feeding Dolphins 1 - click to enlarge
Strand Feeding Dolphins 1 – click to enlarge

Dolphins always drive to shore on their right side, grab a fish, then roll back in.

Strand Feeding Dolphins 1 - click to enlarge
Strand Feeding Dolphins 1 – click to enlarge
Strand Feeding Dolphins 1 - click to enlarge
Strand Feeding Dolphins 1 – click to enlarge

The stranding attack happens in seconds and most of the time I missed the shots. They were closer than I had thought, even after I stepped away to give them space.

In the images above you can see the ripples on the sand and the Dolphin on land.

Click any image to view the complete gallery.

Strand Feeding Dolphins 1 - click to enlarge
Strand Feeding Dolphins 1 – click to enlarge

6 thoughts on “Strand Feeding, Dolphins (1)”

    1. Thank you. I went through my shots and found I have captured 3 separate stranding’s. I may never witness this again, standing with wild dolphins, so I will probably have 1 page for each. Yesterday was over 1,000 photos and miles of hiking and dolphins were only part of the day.

    1. Thanks. We have been following the Dolphin pods that have learned to feed like this. Even when we do find them, stranding fish on shore doesn’t always happen (like all day today). But when we are in the right spot it’s an amazing adventure.

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