Yesterday I spent some time doing what I normally do on my day off: fishing. No pictures to show from that trip. It was quite slow, with only some ladyfish and 2 'rat' reds (meaning small-17-18 inches or below-now you know some fishy lingo) to show for my efforts. Regardless, I was still blessed by the site of my new new favorite bird: the White Pelican. In case you don't know much about these winter resident only birds, they're really quite amazing.
First of all, they look like the regular Brown Pelican, but they're almost completely white with a black patch under their wings. So they look a bit more pretty than our regular Brown Pelicans.
But the 2nd and coolest thing about them is the way they feed. They don't dive bomb pods of baitfish like the Browns (and I have nothing against dive bombing pelicans-I think that's cool: to each bird his/her own) but paddle through the shallows, and dunk their large bills in the water to scoop up baitfish.
Their body style looks the same as the Brown. They just feed in a totally different manner. God created two birds so similar, and yet they feed in totally different manners. Even when they share the same waters. I think that's cool.
I wonder what the Browns think of these Yankee birds coming down to fish in the same waters. Its hard to tell if they actually get along, or just tolerate each other, since I'm not a bird watcher. They don't fight, but the Whites and the Browns don't make it a habit to hang around each other. That whole birds of a feather thing, I guess.
I'll pay closer attention next time I'm out. But thus far, I can't draw any conclusions that would help the us regulars and winter residents get along any better. No lesson, just information. Sorry.
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