These images were taken in the last light of day. I am always surprised at how quickly night comes.
ACE Basin, wither in the marshes or the estuaries, always has wildlife to keep you company.
Someone once wrote the ACE Basin is ‘One of the last great places on earth’ and it became the accepted description here.
It’s obvious why.
Note; the current US administration wants to open this up for oil and gas exploration. Just sayin…
ACE Basin, South Carolina.
These quick shots are from the second feeding, it was over in a few seconds. (Click here to view the first) , (Click here to view a Dolphin catch)
The light was a giant glare. The only reason I knew a second Dolphin was in front of me was the sound of a blow hole.
There was a few fast spins to confuse any fish. All the shore in front of me was old Oyster shells, too sharp for the Dolphin or me.
A big splash with his tail and he was suddenly gone.
I did spot both later heading back down the inlet to the ocean.
As I’ve said before, you never know what you might see out there.
Out with Ellen and a friend early yesterday we decided to go along the marsh and small hammock islands before leaving.
Ellen charged ahead, straight into the shoe sucking pluff mud, I took a different path and almost immediately noticed the ‘tell’ of hunting Dolphin.
Above may not look like much but the water was circling by the hammock (A Hammock is a small reed/grass covered island). I called back to the ‘mud people’ right before the full hunt started. A Dolphin ‘blow hole’ sound was off to my right but I didn’t want to turn away.
The Dolphin suddenly started the spin with his large tail and the water thrown around was the usual flood.
There was no pushing fish to the shore, it was covered with sharp shells. These Dolphin are likely part of the larger pod that knows how to strand feed (click here for my images) further down the shore.
All the fishing was below the surface, I did not see if anything was caught.
Just as fast as it started the Dolphin finished and started back out towards the coastline.
This was a nice surprise, even better since out friend John had never been back here, or seen the Dolphins in action like this.
And that other ‘blow hole’ sound. As I shot the one above leaving it was suddenly louder and close. I need to work on those photographs next.
These photographs were taken over a period of 3 days. These are from the ‘to do’ files, images that were skipped over for others taken at the same.
This web site has many new viewers that may not have seen any of the previous projects and this subject is so rare I decided to publish two new articles on this Dolphin pods habits. These are new photographs.
The first photograph here is an example of the waves they create, and how they will follow fish right to shore. It’s important the contour of the beach is on an incline, under the water. This allows them to just roll back and be in enough water to push back out. They know exactly how and where to strand since an other Dolphin taught them the tricks.
This is also the perfect spot/angle to be to photograph a stranding.
Above is a Dolphin checking the shore for danger. The animal is just under the surface and swimming by at a high speed. The only way I knew he was coming through was the surface suddenly ‘raised up’ in front of me. I just pointed the lens and pushed the shutter, not knowing what I would get. We both saw each other about the same time.
Another Dolphin here circled a school and checked all around at the same time. They will hunt with their head up out of the water.
This is the ‘whirlpool of fish’ being herded and forced in the direction they want. Sometimes this is done so fast fish are flying out of the water from the pressure.
And finally… a needle fish. The fish hit shore with this Dolphin a hair behind. Not a big one, but there is a school of others right there.
When the tide is right, and the temperature is below the boiling point we might try to get out where they might be for another few sets like these. It is not an easy trip.
Note; to view other articles select ‘Dolphin’ from the Category List on the side menus.
These photographs were taken over a period of 3 days. These are from the ‘to do’ files, images that were skipped over for others taken at the same.
This web site has many new viewers that may not have seen any of the previous projects and this subject is so rare I decided to publish two new articles on this Dolphin pods habits. These are new photographs.
Bottlenose Dolphins are known to be group hunters, members of a pod working together to capture prey. However only a rare few, worldwide, drive fish on shore (stranding) and follow them in the catch them.
The photographs here are from what may be the only ones that have learned to hunt this way and actually pass it to their young. We have been lucky enough to document these hunts.
Note; We always kept a respectful distance, which is critical to interacting with this group. A conservation group was on hand during the days shooting.
Above one of the hunters swims within a few meters of shore (the water depth here plays an important role) inspecting us and the area to be sure it is safe to beach themselves and their prey.
A Dolphin will create circles, whirlpools really, around schools of fish. Basically they are herding fish where they want them to be.
The Bottlenose Dolphin weighs an average of 300 kg (660 pounds). It can reach a length of just over 4 metres (13 feet). Many of these are the larger members of the Pod so they are bigger and stronger.
Here a Dolphin is creating a big, huge, wave as the last step to the herding of fish. Even if we did not see the start of a drive, the splash here can be heard (no really) from very far away. This is an amazing amount of water being moved.
Finally a hunter will speed to shore and trap fish either on shore or between two hunters. Above a Dolphin has a school trapped.
Last, and with luck a fish is eaten, the Dolphin roll and splash back out to deeper water to repeat the whole process.
The Dolphin always come in on their right side. Their dorsal fins are scarred and even from a distance you can see which ones are the strand feed hunters.
The above all happens in a matter of a few seconds. Sometimes it happens down and away from me, other times I am almost ambushed and they drive into shore directly at me. It’s so fast even knowing what to look for you get surprised.
We always keep a distance from the water. First there are laws protecting these rare animals. Second, it would be like getting hit by a car. They can swim at 35 MPH. And they do.
Note; to view other articles select ‘Dolphin’ from the Category List on the side menus.
This Dolphin was taking advantage of new shallows in the shoreline.
While this Dolphin Pod is still pushing, or stranding, fish on shore they are also running them right along the surf.
Loud and furious for a moment as the big Dolphin plow through the surf.
This is the moment of the explosion. Hunter and prey hitting shore with only a splash of water in between.
Consider the Dolphin is approximately 12 feet (3.5 M) long. This is a loud and furious chase.
Pelicans were trying to steal a few of the fish pushed by some Dolphins here. There are many spits along the ocean here, I was on one, the action down a little further on another.
Sometimes it’s better, for perspective, to be a little distance away.
No free fish for the Pelicans this time.
