A B&W shot I had forgotten about from last my last Dolphin shoot.
Best viewed large. The Dolphin has a large Mullet.
Dolphin Not Letting The Fish Get Away
Category Archives: Dolphin
Brave (Foolish?) Pelican
I count at least four Dolphin this Pelican was trying to steal from.
A good guess is the Dolphin averaged about 450 pounds, and were 12 feet long. The Brown Pelican, maybe 7 pounds and 4.5 feet tall.
I will say the Pelican was careful and stayed away hoping a fish would squirt his way. They do, just not today.
Still it’s funny to watch him trot up close to the Dolphin.
This Pelican followed them a few feet out into the water too.
Bottlenose Dolphin and Brown Pelican.
Dolphin Catch, Pelican Can Just Watch
This Dolphin hunt was the closest I was to the correct angle, the entire day. You really have no idea where they will strand fish until the water swirls just before the push. Educated guess work, which was not great that day.
On this push I did get a Dolphin with his prize so no complaints.
The Pelican had worse luck than I did 🤣 .
This day I may have seen up to nine different stranding’s, and caught five on camera.
Charleston, South Carolina.
Dolphins Passing And Feeding
This first shot is only the second time I have been able to catch a Dolphin watching the shoreline as they herd the school of fish to the beach. They will not hit the shore if they see anything above the sand (like people). In this hunt the Dolphin moved past us a short distance, then charged to shore.
The group moved to shore with a smaller, younger member of the pod. Below you can see how much smaller the dorsal fin is. I’m assuming this is how the next generation is taught to strand fish since it’s not a normal Dolphin behavior.
And of course, when they did rush to shore we were all dive bombed by a Pelican looking to steal a fish.
Face To face With Dolphins
This small series may give you a good idea of how explosive a Dolphin Strand Feeding can be.
In less than a second the shore erupts. Most times there is a quick sign, a tell, it is about to happen. If you don’t catch sight of the mounds of water charging you will miss the first shots.
Below I missed the signs, but did catch the Dolphins lean right as a group. The lead Dolphin looked over to the ‘silly human’ on shore.
The Dolphin will watch the beach to be sure they are clear to turn and flip back into the water. They are always on their right side.
Above the group kick up and twist back into the deeper water.
This entire scene is finished in a few seconds.
Pelican And Dolphin, Fishing Partners
A shot I think that’s unique. You don’t see this view often.
Best viewed large.
Chaos – Fish, Pelican, Dolphin
The only thing I didn’t catch here was the noise. And boy it was loud !
In this shot several Dolphin had drive fish to the shore (flying in the air too) and a Pelican was waiting for them.
Best viewed large, there’s a lot going on here.
Dolphins Hunting
I think these photographs were shot of the first strand fishing we found recently. Well, the first close stranding. Far up the shore I noticed multiple hunts. At the time my fear was all the action would be up there.
In a short while I saw them quickly heading to us. However, what I did not see was a concentrated effort to circle around the schools of fish. Usually that is the sign a stranding is happening. They confuse and panic them before a push to shore. It also gives me a chance to position myself.
Never happened this day, in any hunt.
My only warning two Dolphin were finishing a hunt was the surfacing and fast push to shore.
I was too close for the long lens, and to the Dolphin.
It worked out since there were only two on the strand. Distance is important for the comfort on the Dolphin.
These two grabbed a few fish and rolled back off the sand.
Kiawah River inlet, South Carolina.