Schools of fish flow with the tide. Pelicans are well aware of where the best spots are.
Here the tide was about to roll back in. The Pelicans will sit and wait as the fish flow right by them.
Pelicans Flying Through An Inlet
Tag Archives: Ocean Shore
Bunch A Pelicans
When we go out to shoot the Skimmers and Dolphins it requires a fairly long hike, in sand.
However, the scenery can be spectacular.
A flock of Brown Pelicans (one of many) keeps us company.
Dolphins Catching A School Of Fish
Time to add something other than birds, even pink ones.
This is a pod of Dolphins pushing fish to the shore. A group around the South Carolina Lowcountry is one of the few that have learned to herd and ‘strand’ fish on the shore.
This particular hunt included 6 adults. A young calf was swimming off shore in water a little deeper.
Pretty dramatic.
Skimmer On The Shore
Recently I’ve noticed how the Skimmers, or most birds fishing, are not sneaking up on the small fish. In these photographs you can see them breaking water ahead of the bird.
Now that I have seen the small ripples I look for them. And this is actually common.
There is a trap wildlife photographers can fall into. It’s seeing the moment only through the small viewfinder, focused on the taking of a ‘correct’ image. When you do that the small details of the adventure in front of you get pushed aside.
We need to be relaxed about what we are capturing. Thanks for the conversations David. (We can talk about all kinds of things while carrying packs and getting cooked. Most nonsense, but some stick).
Pelican Rushing To Meet Dolphins
A pod of Dolphin were feeding up near the mouth of a river. Pelicans will work the same waters getting fish as they flee the Dolphins.
This bird was late to the party.
Skimmer Taking A Short Cut
I had the shot setup, I was ready for him to dip down and start skimming over the water. They are erratic when flying and he proved.
The bird banked a little to his right and flew behind me, over the sand.
Surprising, I caught him anyway.
Jumping Up from The Shore, Pelican
This is a Pelican that stays around the shallows during low tide. At the change of the tide there is plenty of activity to move fish.
Once the tide moves, Pelicans, Dolphins, Osprey and all types of Gulls search for the schools. They each push the fish around so one of them will make a catch.
I walked past this Pelican, I guess a little too close. He moved on. Truth be told I never did see him until he took off.
A Dolphin Strand Feeding
This stranding was a large one. I counted 5 Dolphin in the charge, an adult and young calf a little behind in the water. There was not a sound until a huge crashing wave hit shore.
There was a substantial number of fish pushed to shore.
The Dolphins came in shoulder to shoulder, almost in a straight line. I never noticed that before. It was an impressive well rehearsed charge.
In the above it looks like a wall of charging Dolphin.
As they rolled back into the water Dolphin were still grabbing the flying fish.
The strand from start to finish was 9 seconds. That makes me feel a little better when I’m out of focus or miss one.