Neither of these Pelican seemed to mind me standing in the tall grass photographing. They could easily see me since I tend to find open gaps on the dikes. It’s a trade off. The birds spot me but I have a large area to follow in flight shots with nothing in front of my lens.
These two paddled by, almost in slow motion.
Big white bird against a background of evergreens.
Some day I will learn the name of all these trees. Very different from the ones up north, didn’t know their names either though.
Taken on a day a marsh had a low water level. Pelicans will gather for a push right through the marsh. It’s like the early bird blue plate special for them.
This series was taken in the morning when the flocks flew around between the open marshes.
ACE Basin, South Carolina.
An impressive bird paddling by.
White Pelican, ACE Basin, South Carolina.
So, a story that I will try to keep brief.
There is a marsh inlet in the back of Bear Island WMA. Very remote and inaccessible. Of course if you cannot get there a) wildlife loves it and b) sooner or later I have to try.
I found it.
The grass and reeds are taller than me (above shot from eye level) and you must walk through a pine/scrub tree forest.
It’s fall so I pushed through, but never summer. You cannot see and this is Cottonmouth, tick, Â and Alligator land. A dumb thing to try.
There is a small wooden ‘bridge’ thing for in/out. But the trail is gone finding it is a bunch of fun.
This wooden ‘bridge’ spans a mud creek about 15 feet (4.5 meters) below. With the same afore mentioned critters. Maybe some aliens too.
I don’t know how many times I walked back and forth along the creek side looking for this to get back out. I do know the entire walk in and back out was what convinced me it was time for a new hip. Would not do to get stuck since of course I was by myself.
I found it though.
And this day it was filled with White Pelicans, comfortable since people keep away from here, except those with 600mm lens in the reeds.
I now know another way to get there which might not be as much work. Still never in the summer.
A few shots of cooperative fishing, Pelican style. Many birds hunt or fish in flocks but I don’t see any that coordinate the hunt like a White Pelican.
They will line up, almost shoulder to shoulder, and push fish forward.
Because these are massive birds it’s even more impressive if you can close like here. The Condor is the only North American bird larger than this Pelican.
In a marsh area flocks like this will fish as a group for a few days and then move on. They need to go, most of the fish are gone.
ACE Basin, South Carolina.
This White Pelican was off on his own in a small inlet. I found him when I went a ‘little off road’ looking for a trail to a hidden marsh.
I don’t usually crash through woods and marsh on my own. This day I did.
A few photographs taken when it was still too early to know if they would be any good or not. Hint; most were not.
Various flocks had landed while it was still dark.
I don’t think most knew we were there though you can see a few glancing my way.
At this point I was walking a dike and looking through whatever openings in the grasses I could find.
Bear Island, South Carolina.
