Category Archives: Dolphin

Dolphin, Ocean Shore, What I Saw, Wildlife

Dolphin, Pelican, Fish Flying Everywhere (2)

June 27, 2023 Ted Jennings - TPJ Photography 3 Comments

This is the second article in the series of Dolphin strand feeding, flying fish, and thieving Pelicans. To view the first article click here .

You don’t really know where the strand will be. There are times you will see the pod circling and pushing fish out in the open water. But they might herd the school anywhere along the shore that has a good deep drop they can fit in. Personally I find what appears to be a good spot and stay there. This inlet is at least a mile long, I’m not running this in the sun!

I have a good idea of the shore here so if they are feeding I should get a few chances…and a few near misses. Below is a little bit of both.

Dolphin, Pelican, Fish Flying Everywhere (2)

About 4 Dolphin hit the beach pushing a lot of fish on to the sand. Above you can see them in the air.

From my spot the Dolphin were a little to far down a slope into the water for full body photos. This chaos happened with no warning. Suddenly the air filled with a wave (loud) of water and fish. Dolphin on the beach were right behind.

You don’t have time to do anything but shoot the camera. Besides you never interrupt an animal feeding, and they flail around on shore and would crush a person like a grape. They are really big.

This Pelican was a surprised as me. He never had a chance to steal a fish. He did try though.

Birds, Dolphin, Ocean Shore, Pelican, Shore Bird, Wildlife

Dolphin, Pelican, Fish Flying Everywhere (1)

June 26, 2023 Ted Jennings - TPJ Photography 7 Comments

The only place known where Dolphin will drive fish to shore, and then follow them right on the beach is the Lowcountry. The Dolphin pods are residents to the inlets here and are not ocean going. As such they have taught themselves new ways to hunt and pass it on to each new generation.

Dolphin, Pelican, Fish Flying Everywhere (1)

Above several Dolphin drove Mullet to the beach and went up and caught them on shore. You can see a fish by a Dolphin.

The other trick with these Dolphin pods are their followers, Brown Pelicans. Pelicans will push right in to steal the fish.

Kiawah River, South Carolina.

Black and White, Dolphin, Monochrome, Ocean Shore, Pelican, Wildlife

Dolphin Not Letting The Fish Get Away

December 10, 2022 Ted Jennings - TPJ Photography 7 Comments

A B&W shot I had forgotten about from last my last Dolphin shoot.

Best viewed large. The Dolphin has a large Mullet.

Birds, Charleston, Dolphin, Ocean Shore, Pelican, Wildlife

Brave (Foolish?) Pelican

November 28, 2022 Ted Jennings - TPJ Photography 2 Comments

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.

Birds, Charleston, Dolphin, Ocean Shore, Pelican, What I Saw, Wildlife

Dolphin Catch, Pelican Can Just Watch

November 20, 2022 Ted Jennings - TPJ Photography Leave a comment

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.

Charleston, Dolphin, Ocean Shore, Pelican, Shore Bird, What I Saw, Wildlife

Dolphins Passing And Feeding

November 19, 2022 Ted Jennings - TPJ Photography 2 Comments

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.

Charleston, Dolphin, Ocean Shore, What I Saw, Wildlife

Face To face With Dolphins

November 10, 2022 Ted Jennings - TPJ Photography 2 Comments

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.