Wonderful shot - I agree with Katie @archaeofrog , though - I suspect the story behind having your head nearly eaten by a pelican might be worth hearing!
Magnificent is exactly the word I thought of too seeing this picture. We have a lot of them here but usually waddling around stealing picnics, this is a great shot.
@ozziehoffy - Which would in reality make them the largest Bird of Prey? Now why do we call fish eating White Bellied Sea Eagles a Bird of Prey but a fish eating Pelican is not? Hmmm?
@lbmcshutter - people who have been chewed on by one? Except yours truly of course.
@dalboy - Cheers Graeme, it was a series of shots that I took as I panned along with the bird as he took off. The boat driver was very good at keeping the vessel steady!
@boatpainter - Frozen Pelican? Is the shot on the 365?
i have always liked them as well but have never had the chance to get a great shot of one. Yours is fantastic! i am also glad you did not lose your hand to one :P
Really enjoyed this series of Bensbach animals. Surprised to see the similarity to animals I see around here except for that massive Wallaby. He's an amazing creature. Also appreciated your info on kangaroos.
I'm a bit of a birder and one of the reasons I was so captured by birds from a young age was a story we did at school based in Australia about a boy and his Pelican, it intrigued me so much and we carried on to learn about Aboriginal culture, art etc. Funny how I still remember that story, if a little vague now but I do remember painting a scene from the story of the Pelican on the beach! Cannot for the life of me remember the name of the book! :)
@hellcat - This was a series panned from take off to full flight where the Pelican happened to stay at the right focal length! Click click click click... always feel like a pro when the shutter fires off like that!
@annamorozova - Thank you Anna and thank you for the follow :) Hope you enjoy the journey!
@houdiniem - He did spit me out...
@ozziehoffy - Which would in reality make them the largest Bird of Prey? Now why do we call fish eating White Bellied Sea Eagles a Bird of Prey but a fish eating Pelican is not? Hmmm?
@lbmcshutter - people who have been chewed on by one? Except yours truly of course.
@archaeofrog @cmuir1963 @tthompsonca @geocacheking @tonydebont - I was a small lad, and these are a big bird. No story to it really... must have been that fish finger sandwich I ate for lunch?
@onie @michellegaynor @dishaparekh176 @kayley - Oh thank you ladies, you are all so sweet! :D
@aprilmilani @mjmaven - Thank you April and Shirley. :)
@kandernob - perhaps it was the up close and personal, that garnered the respect?
@carolmw - Thanks Carol!
@dalboy - Cheers Graeme, it was a series of shots that I took as I panned along with the bird as he took off. The boat driver was very good at keeping the vessel steady!
@boatpainter - Frozen Pelican? Is the shot on the 365?
@swilde - Thank you Sue :)
@ubobohobo - Thanks Margaret, that Wallaby sure is a solid lad, he'd give some of our Kangaroos a hidin' down here!
Were you looking down the pelican's throat at the time? Been watching too many circuses?! =)