Brown Pelican at Pier on St. Simons Island
When a big bird like this Brown Pelican comes flying in for a landing on the pier, it will certainly get your attention. I wanted to fill the camera frame with as much of it as possible. As you can see, Brown Pelicans are very large birds with a long, thick bill and a big pouch. You may see them flying together in a flock, gliding on the air in perfect formation, or diving into the water from on high to catch fish. They are the precision dive bombers of the bird world. It is amazing to watch them. They like to hang around the pier, sit on the railing, walk among the people, and fly on and off, not the least bit intimidated by anyone. They are particularly plentiful when there are lots of fishermen around for obvious reasons. Nothing like a free lunch, and they are not exactly shy about it. These pelicans have been given many names by the locals: Pelican Bob, Freeloading Freddie, Lucky Larry, Pelican Pete. I love observing their behavior. They are incredibly entertaining, and I never tire of seeing them.
