Capturing A Strand Feed, Dolphins - click to enlarge

Capturing A Strand Feeding, Dolphins

This is a rather long article with many photographs. It’s a start to finish capture of a Dolphin ‘strand feeding’.  A link below reviews stranding.

Capturing A Strand Feed, Dolphins - click to enlarge
Capturing A Strand Feed, Dolphins – click to enlarge

The first image is the Dolphin moving along the shore towards me and herding a school of fish.

Capturing A Strand Feed, Dolphins - click to enlarge
Capturing A Strand Feed, Dolphins – click to enlarge

Suddenly the Dolphin attacks the school, and splashing, drives fish towards the sand.

Capturing A Strand Feed, Dolphins - click to enlarge
Capturing A Strand Feed, Dolphins – click to enlarge
Capturing A Strand Feed, Dolphins - click to enlarge
Capturing A Strand Feed, Dolphins – click to enlarge

The quick charge and splashing confuses the fish, and photographer. The Dolphin is 500 pounds (227 kg) and throwing water all over. My lens was pulled back as far as I could so I’m not going anywhere.

Below you can see a fish landing on the sand. That wave behind him is a really big predator.

Capturing A Strand Feed, Dolphins - click to enlarge
Capturing A Strand Feed, Dolphins – click to enlarge

Now fish meets Dolphin.

Capturing A Strand Feed, Dolphins - click to enlarge
Capturing A Strand Feed, Dolphins – click to enlarge

As you can see the Dolphin pushed up onto the sand to catch the fish.

Capturing A Strand Feed, Dolphins - click to enlarge
Capturing A Strand Feed, Dolphins – click to enlarge
Capturing A Strand Feed, Dolphins - click to enlarge
Capturing A Strand Feed, Dolphins – click to enlarge

Now below, photographer meets Dolphin. This was a first for me. An incredible moment, but I was not going to miss any shots so I kept shooting.

Capturing A Strand Feed, Dolphins - click to enlarge
Capturing A Strand Feed, Dolphins – click to enlarge

Dolphins strand themselves on the right side (in some images I could see rub marks) which helps them roll back into the water.

Capturing A Strand Feed, Dolphins - click to enlarge
Capturing A Strand Feed, Dolphins – click to enlarge

Here a Pelican comes crashing the party. Birds follow and dive all around the Dolphins. They take advantage of the fish being trapped in the shallows.

Capturing A Strand Feed, Dolphins - click to enlarge
Capturing A Strand Feed, Dolphins – click to enlarge

Finally, a moment later the Dolphin moves by joining the others out herding more schools of fish.

Capturing A Strand Feed, Dolphins - click to enlarge
Capturing A Strand Feed, Dolphins – click to enlarge

I have been told most Dolphins don’t strand fish, however a little further down the shore another pod of Dolphins has begun doing it.

Click here for National Geographic info on strand fishing.

5 thoughts on “Capturing A Strand Feeding, Dolphins”

    1. It is 🙂 If lucky you see the dorsal fin before they charge. If not the best you can do is look for a disturbance along the water. But when they start…

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