A Day of Sunshine: February 6, 2015

Posted on March 10, 2015 by pelicansrulegullsdrool

It’s time for something old and something (a little closer to) new.

Pelicans, like other birds, begin developing breeding plumage long before they breed. January/February is when I think the pelicans look their best. Their breeding horns are noticeable, but they aren’t huge. Their dark eyes are lightening as the color slowly changes to blue. The plumes on their heads are getting just long enough to have a nice “Crazy Harry” appearance, especially when the wind is blowing.

Image of Crazy Harry from muppet.wikia.com

I suspect that more than a few pelicans have Crazy Harry tendencies beyond the hair.
(Image from muppet.wikia.com)

I think that the pelicans look their ugliest in March, although they are probably super sexy to each other. Their horns are huge. Their breeding plumes have grown so long that they look like unkempt hair that desperately needs a trim (and in the fall, I’m always shocked by their lack of breeding plumes; they look as though their heads have been shaved). Their eyes are light blue, which looks nice with the orange-red of their feet and portions of their pouches, but they also develop ugly black streaks on their bills, gular pouches, and around the contours of their faces.

Here are some pics from mid- and late-March 2014 that show off pelican breeding plumage.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) in breeding plumage swims at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Here you can really see the black streaks around the pelican’s facial features and on her gular pouch and beak.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) in breeding plumage flying at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

HOLY SHIT IT’S A FLYING CERATOSAURUS!

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) in breeding plumage loafing on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

This bird stayed too long on Dune and got addicted to the spice.

Everyone thinks that the album title “Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Back” refers to Sinatra himself. Everyone is wrong. The title refers to sexy pelicans!

It’s a shame that the pelicans don’t breed here; their breeding horns are so unique that it would be easy to identify individual birds.

SHE’S COMING RIGHT FOR US, CAPTAIN!

February had been a terrific month for pelican watching in 2014. K and I sometimes stayed out for hours watching them. Additional groups of pelicans started passing through, and sometimes in the evenings there were so many pelicans loafing by the dock that the birds were spread out from the loafing grounds to the Queen of the Log log.

Not this February.

I don’t think I saw any noticeably new pelicans. Maybe once or twice I thought there were slightly more pelicans than usual, but I mostly saw a small, stable crew. Some good news is that pelicans that have been here since the beginning of the season, such as Copper Woman, are still here. So is S21; I smile every time I see her green wing tags. But February was mostly gray and cold, and the pelicans spent most of their loafing time huddled up on or near the marshy spit.

So far, March doesn’t seem any good, either. Even on milder days the pelicans are choosing to loaf on the far-away logs instead of near the shore or near the dock. Last year, as more pelicans flew north and fewer birds were left at the lake, the remaining birds moved to the far-away logs, but that didn’t happen until late March. I really hope that the pelicans are loafing on the far-away logs because the water level is too high by the dock. Q and I will be going on a trip to Florida soon, and hopefully I can still observe close-up pelican action when we return.

In early February there were some sunny days when the pelicans were still feeling frisky, so I will post some pics from that time. The action started on the Shore Log. When I first got there, a pelican was preparing to fly.

I tracked her as she sailed past the Shore Log and flew out to the deeper parts of the lake to meet up with the pelicans that were out fishing.

It took me until this winter to realize that both double-crested and neotropic cormorants wintered at White Rock Lake. In January the neotropic cormorants had been very active, and I had enjoyed watching them.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) and neotropic cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) gape at each other on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Hey (hey), you (you), get off of my log!

One might think that because the pelicans are so large, they always win a challenge with a cormorant. That’s not true. Sometimes the pelican is scared off. Sometimes the cormorant is scared off. Often the confrontation ends in a draw. This one ended in a draw.

A few more pelicans jumped up onto the Shore Log.

Unfortunately, they didn’t do much but preen, so I went to the dock to see if anything were happening there. All I saw was a bunch of coots feeding.

American coot (Fulica americana) upends to look for food at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

HUMAN, DO YOU THINK I HAVE A SEXY BUTT?

American coot (Fulica americana) swims in the water at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

What do you mean, you’re not into birds like that? That one goose sure thinks you are!

Greylag goose (Anser anser) stands on the shore of White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

How dare you, sir coot! I am a gentleman! I think no such thing!

Back at the shore, pelicans were flying into the bay and looking for places to loaf. A pelican hopped up onto the log and scared the bejesus out of the pelican next to her.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) jumps onto a log and tries to attack another pelican at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Mom! Mom! Mom! Guess what! Guess what!

Luckily for the first pelican, the new bird forgot about fighting and just flapped her wings.

Another pelican got ready to jump up. . . .

. . . She was immediately attacked by the pelican that was already on the log.

Even the cormorant started to get pissed off.

Two American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) fight while a neotropic cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) gapes at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Goddammit, don’t you pelicans ever just CHILL OUT?!

The pelican that had jumped onto the log was losing the fight. She was forced off the log and tried to step forward back onto it.

She managed to get back onto the log, but the attack from the other pelican was so fierce that the beleaguered pelican jumped forward into the water and swam to the marshy spit to loaf there.

I glanced out at the water and caught Lady Katherine finishing a full-flap and sinking back into the water.

Mute swan (Cygnus olor) lowers herself down onto the water after flapping her wings at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

It is I, Birdie Lady of the Lake, who shall guard Excalibur until the worthy recipient comes forth.

The log pelicans were settling down.

American white pelican flaps her wings while standing on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Excuse me, miss, but you are such a beautiful pelican. May I hold this door open for you?

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) balances on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Oh yes, thank you so much, kind pelican! The footing over the threshold is so treacherous!

A pelican engaged in a very brief bit of allopreening with another pelican. Surprisingly, the other pelican tolerated it. Maybe the preening incident was so brief that the groomed bird didn’t feel the need to attack.

One of the log pelicans squatted down as though she were about to take off. I thought she was going to fly back out to fish, but instead she flew just past the log.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) in flight at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Free fallin’, now I’m, free fallin’, now I’m.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) lands on water after a short flight at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

I always enjoy seeing the water that’s kicked up as the pelicans land. Their feet must be unbelievably tough.

Back on the Shore Log, a pelican and a cormorant were squabbling.

American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) squabble with a double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Anh! Look at this! The cormorant thinks it can take me!

Shit, it’s still gaping at me. What should I do now, Anh?

What do you mean, I’m not intimidating enough and I should let you have at the cormorant? I can be intimidating!

GRRRRRR I’m a big scary pelican!

The match ended in a draw.

I went back to the dock, where I saw a pelican standing and preening on the Queen of the Log log. Another pelican swam up.

I love watching log fights, but they are hard for me to photograph. I have to guess how much space to allow the birds and where to focus. How far up might their wings go? How far out might their wings go? Will their bodies be fairly compact as they fight, or will one or both of them be flailing around?

Luckily, I caught most of the action.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) attempts to knock another pelican off of a loafing log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Reminiscent of the pelican that drop-kicked another pelican to knock her off the log, this bird is using her beak to try to push over the log pelican.

The pelican that had lost her place on the log decided to challenge the usurper.

Two American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) gape at each other in anticipation of fighting at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

YOU ASSHOLE, GIVE ME BACK MY LOG!

She quickly dispatched the usurper and situated herself back on the log, Queen again.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) stands on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Who’s the badass? That’s right. You can bow now.

The defeated pelican performed a rouse, swam out to another log, and hopped on.

Well, fine, I’ll just be Queen of this log!

A juvenile flew in, ran to the shore, but before getting onto the land, stopped to preen.

Another pelican flew in and went right for the log behind the juvenile. The log is a new addition to the loafing grounds by the dock. The pelicans love it. I’m not sure whether it’s still there or if it floated somewhere else with all the rain we got in late February.

Simon says, “Put your wings up!”

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) sits down with her wings up at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Did I win? Did I win?

That was it for the pelicans that day, but two other birds decided to be photogenic. First was Cutie Pie.

Ross's goose (Anser rossii) swims in the water at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

God, I love this bird.

The other was a male lesser scaup. Sometimes I see one or two by the dock, but they aren’t there every day like they were last year. They are very pretty, especially when the sun is shining and I can see the iridescence in their feathers.

A lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) swims in the water at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

I don’t need to ask your opinion, human: I know I’m sexy!

The Great Day of Play: October 17, Part 1

Posted on February 6, 2015 by pelicansrulegullsdrool

Before I went out to the lake, I checked the backyard for any interesting insects or birds. I saw this paper wasp hanging out on an old section of fence.

Back to migration madness!

Pelicans loaf in different areas of the bay depending upon weather, temperature, time of year, time of day, age (juvenile versus adult), safety considerations, and how many other pelicans are around. Sometimes the presence of geese or large numbers of cormorants can dissuade pelicans from loafing in certain places. On this day, a small group of pelicans had congregated on the loafing grounds by the dock, and more were swimming in that direction.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) jabs at another pelican on loafing grounds at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

They were also beginning to fight each other because, hey, they’re pelicans; that’s what they do.

Once the squabble ended, the shore pelicans went back to grooming and sleeping. That meant it was time for me to see what the other pelicans were doing.

Luckily, I only had to glance over at the Queen of the Log log to observe some action. A pelican had just jumped on the log next to a bird who had been loafing there by herself.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) lands on a loafing log occupied by another pelican at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

I am such a badass to make it up here on this log.

Two American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) fight over their positions on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Oh no! Why are you not impressed with my badassery?

Take THAT, sucker! Teach you to hog the log all for yourself!

Sometimes pelicans have the funniest “startled” expressions.

Hang on, hang on, just let me get my footing back here, then you’ll be sorry . . .

Oh shit. The log’s not there anymore. That’s water.

I DIDN’T WANT TO LOAF ON THE LOG, ANYWAY!

A nearby juvenile who was preening while standing in the water paused to perform a gular flutter.

An adult was sleeping in the shallow water by the loafing grounds.

A juvenile was swimming toward the shore.

Then I saw the first instance of pelican play for the day. A pelican who was fishing way out by the far-away logs found a mutilated red plastic cup, picked it up, tossed it in the air, and caught it.

The pelican maneuvered the cup into her pouch and swam around for about a minute, occasionally clamping her upper beak down onto the cup to keep it inside her pouch.

When she dropped the cup and, despite her attempts, wasn’t able to retrieve it, I looked around again.

Two pelicans swim together at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Best not be looking too hard at us, HUMAN.

5J1 was still at White Rock Lake and had chosen a log to loaf on that held a mature pelican. She half-heartedly snapped at the adult.

The adult gaped and snapped back.

Sometimes when pelicans snap at each other, they get into an odd rhythm. One pelican leans forward and gapes or snaps at a rival, and in the middle of the snap, the challenged bird gapes and snaps back. By the time the first pelican has finished snapping, the second bird is in the middle of her own snap, which the first pelican then responds to with yet another gape or snap. The birds never snap at each other at the same time. I wonder if that behavior is intentional, keeping the threat as just a warning. If the pelicans were both leaning forward and snapping at each other at the same time, conflict would probably escalate.

Two pelicans gape at each other while loafing at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

They called it a draw.

Far out in the water again, another bird had found an important piece of trash: a water bottle! Unfortunately, she didn’t do much with it.

The Queen of the Log pelican fell asleep.

Something spooked the pelicans—I don’t remember what. The good news was that the birds weren’t totally freaked out. No one was going into super-alert mode, where the birds straighten up and hold their wings slightly out from their sides so they are ready to take off instantly. The birds were suspicious but not terrified. They got into alert mode, where they all straighten up and look in the same direction, and when the danger was not resolved to their satisfaction, they began to cautiously slink away. It’s the same behavior that I’ve seen from pelicans when I walk where they can see me at times when they (presumably) haven’t seen people for a while, such as on a very cold day. If no further interruptions occur, most of the pelicans will often return to where they were originally hanging out.

Although I would vastly prefer the pelicans to not be frightened, the potential for something dramatic or interesting to happen goes way up when they are moving around the area. Such as the next bird, who found an interesting piece of trash but had a hell of a time trying to grip it.

Luckily, a few minutes later the same bird was able to find an object that was easier to zoom around with.

American white pelican plays with a feather at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

She briefly opened her beak to clamp down harder on the feather.

Elsewhere, another pelican was starting to fall asleep. I love it when pelicans let their long flight feathers droop down, like they are so tired that they’ve forgotten to hold the feathers tucked up under their wings.

A coot swam up to the dock and peeped at me. It did not try to pull me down under the water and drown me.

Another pelican found two pecans stuck together and tossed them in the air a few times, retrieving them from the water when she was unable to catch them in her beak. This pelican will make another appearance in part 2, when she discovers that water bottles can make great toys.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) playing with pecans at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

I really like this pic.

I will end part 1 with a bathing pelican. Part 2 should be up much sooner than I’ve promised in the past!

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) bathing in water at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

YOU WISH YOU WERE SUCH A GOOD BATHER AS BIRD, HUMAN!

When a Pen Loves a Gander . . .

Posted on February 5, 2015 by pelicansrulegullsdrool

Last year, K discovered something amazing: White Rock Lake’s mute swan, Katie, aka Lady Katherine, was mating with a goose called Patches. Willingly mating. Happily mating. In fact, Lady Katherine was usually the aggressor.

K was horrified that a swan would fuck a goose. She ended up deleting the pics she took of Lady Katherine and Patches mating because she was so grossed out. Luckily, I had witnessed a couple of their sexual encounters from last year and got some pics to document that it happened.

I wondered if they would rekindle their relationship this year. While Patches and Lady Katherine were getting it on last year, Patches was mated to a female goose called Annie with whom he socialized and had sexual encounters. Annie and Patches are still together.

Apologies for the blurriness in the thumbnails; goddamned WordPress is STILL compressing and framing my pictures strangely, despite some changes Q made.

Two geese drinking from a puddle at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Annie (left) and Patches (right) drinking together from a puddle on January 23, 2015.

Mute swan (Cygnus olor) walking in the park at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

THE OTHER WOMAN.

On January 13, I was hanging out with Mister Mary Mack by the shore at Sunset Bay. It was cold outside—I’m not sure if the temperature even got to 40. Throughout the afternoon I watched the pelicans fly in and swim to the marshy spit where they loaf on cold days. When there were lulls in the pelican action, I watched the geese. Cutie Pie, the Ross’s goose that joined the goose flock at White Rock Lake, climbed out of the water and preened, and Lady Katherine waddled into the water and swam away.

Ross's goose (Anser rossii) preens at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Cutie Pie is so adorable.

Ross's goose (Anser rossii) scratches herself at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Oh! She’s itchy, too!

Two American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) squabble on a loafing site at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

When the pelicans loaf on the marshy spit, which is small and narrow, established pelicans often gape and snap at newcomers who have to step through a dense crowd of sleeping and preening pelicans to find a spot for themselves.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) arrives at a loafing area at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

After weeks of wandering through the jungle, I happened upon a clearing where I saw the strangest sights . . .

I peered far out into the water.

Goose mating with mute swan (Cygnus olor) at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Yep, that’s a swan with a goose on top of her. And she’s not giving him a piggyback ride.

Settle back, readers, and prepare to bask in the wonders of interspecies copulation. This is HARDCORE birdie action.

Lady Katherine and Patches started mating last year in late winter. At one point in time K saw them mating almost daily. I recorded two instances of their coupling in two days in late March of 2014.

Mute swan (Cygnus olor) and goose engage in pre-copulatory display before mating at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Here Lady Katherine and Patches are engaged in courtship and pre-copulatory displays, respectively. Later incidents from this year are better documented in regard to their flirting.

Goose attempts to mount mute swan (Cygnus olor) at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Lady Katherine plays hard-to-get, surging forward as Patches attempts to mount her.

Goose mounts mute swan (Cygnus olor) and attempts copulatory activity at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Jesus, where the fuck do you focus when this is what you’re seeing?

Well, he’s at least a little closer to, er, sealing the deal.

Is Patches successfully penetrating Lady Katherine? I’m not sure. Sometimes it does not appear to be so, but that’s not surprising; I doubt any bird achieves success every time that sex is attempted. Patches does seem to know that he has to back up much further than he would with another goose, but as you can see in the last pic, he has to negotiate around Lady Katherine’s large tail, which makes the situation more difficult. I have witnessed Lady Katherine engaging in some post-copulatory displays, and I definitely have witnessed Patches in such displays, but I don’t know if geese or swans display after successful copulation or if they do so even after attempted but unsuccessful copulation. A couple of times I saw Patches’s pseudopenis still extended after he disengaged from Lady Katherine, but again, I don’t know whether that means penetration was successful or if he had been preparing for penetration but did not succeed. I don’t remember if Patches displayed after either of the attempts I recorded last year, but I do remember that once Patches dismounted after this attempt, he chomped Lady Katherine’s neck.

They were back at it the next day.

Mute swan (Cygnus olor) and goose engage in courtship/pre-copulatory displays before mating at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Annie, suspicious of Patches’s claim that he and Lady Katherine were just “going for a swim,” decided to follow them.

Goose attempts to mount a mute swan (Cygnus olor) at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

All aboard the S.S. EWWWWWWW!

Goose attempts copulatory activity with mute swan (Cygnus olor) at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Patches? What the fuck are you doing?!

Sadly for Annie, Patches was not yet ready to leave.

The mating sequences from 2015 will be displayed after the cut.

Continue reading →

Flapping and Fun: October 16, Part 4

Posted on December 11, 2014 by pelicansrulegullsdrool

Although it wasn’t a windy day, a pelican out in the water was having difficulty keeping her balance as she scratched her head. I laughed at her as she kept adjusting her wings to stay balanced. American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) scratching at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) scratching at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Breathing is overrated, anyway.

The pelican who had been frightened away from the Log of Status was out stomping through the water. She tried to take off but was unable to do so successfully and floundered before getting back on her feet again.

American white pelican swims at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Fuck this “walking” thing; it takes too damned long. I’m gonna swim!

She eventually made her way closer to shore, stopped, and began to preen.

American white pelican finishes flapping at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

But Mom, I’m only going to be out playing for a little while. Do I really have to wear five sweaters?

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) grooms with her wings held out at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

I CAN’T PUT MY WINGS DOWN!

The pelican who had successfully challenged her for the Queen of the Log position had just made a startling discovery.

American white pelican pulls out a feather while grooming at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Did this come out of me?

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) flaps while standing on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Here she resembles a Willie Stark–like politician soaking up the introductory applause before she begins a good ol’ rabble-rousin’ speech.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) preens its neck feathers at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

And now the Queen will do her imitation of her stuffy, out-of-it, non-populist political opponent.

Further out past the Queen of the Log log, pelicans who were lackadaisically hunting found some trash to play with. The younger bird seemed to enjoy swimming with the paper in her pouch, which I’ve seen a lot of birds doing when they are playing with trash out in the water.

Juvenile American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) plays with a crumpled piece of trash at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Who said I would have to eat my words?

Then there were the soda bottle pelicans.

First there was only one, who kept trying over and over and over again to pick up the bottle. Her attempts attracted a nearby pelican to also investigate.

Two American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) try to play with a soda bottle at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Come play with us, pelicansrulegullsdrool. Forever, and ever, and ever.

The second pelican managed to get a hold of the bottle by floating it into her pouch.

Luckily for the first pelican, the second pelican’s success was short lived.

Maria, I was here first! C’mon, give me a turn!

The first pelican’s luck abruptly changed, and she was able to take possession of the bottle.

How the hell do humans drink out of this thing?!

OH NO IT DISAPPEARED!

Both pelicans searched for the bottle again, but after several seconds the second pelican got bored and started to swim away. The first pelican was able to retrieve the bottle one last time and even tried to toss it into the air from her pouch, despite its weight.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) plays with a soda bottle at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

WEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!

Another bird tried to play with an old beer can. I think it might have been the same bird who was playing with the paper, but I don’t have any way to verify my belief.

What else was going on?

Three American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) loafing at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Lillian decided that Constance and Taliah’s interpretation of Biff’s final confrontation with his father Willie was too dour and needed a burlesque striptease to liven it up.

Then I saw some action, but surprisingly, it wasn’t on the Queen of the Log log.

Two American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) squabble over a favored loafing spot at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

If there is a pelican equivalent for “looking down one’s nose” at someone, the bird who retained her position is totally embodying it.

The first pelican who had been playing with the soda bottle wandered off and had a good flap.

American white pelican flaps her wings at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Constance, Taliah, can I join your theater group? Watch this: “Double, double, toil and trouble. Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.” Am I in, or am I in?

On the 15th I had noticed a new bird with a red wing tag. Based on the color and shape of the tag, I figured that she was from the Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge in Idaho—I had seen a pelican the past year with a tag the same color and shape who turned out to be from there. The problem was that I could only see two characters on the bird’s tag: 5J. There were three characters on the tag of the bird I’d seen the year before. The tag seemed to be tucked under the bird’s wing, and I just couldn’t read if there was another character. I hoped the bird would flap so that maybe the action would let the tag swing freely and I’d be able to read the whole code.

Success!

5J1, an American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) originally from the Minidoka WMR in Idaho, perches on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

She grew up in a Minidoka town, had an egg-layin’ Mama, who hunted all around. But she grew up tall, and she grew up white, with those Minidoka birds on a Minidoka night.

5J1 did indeed originate from Minidoka. She was a second-year bird, hatched in 2013.

She flew down here, at an age before 3. She blew the birds away, was more than they’d seen.

At some point in time the Queen of the Log log had been vacated. Although I hadn’t seen the bird leave, I did see when a new bird arrived.

When I left to go home, I noticed a cute little squirrel hanging around near the dock. She would stand up to reach a plant stalk, drag it to the ground, and nibble on whatever seeds or leaves that she liked.

The next post or two will probably not be about pelicans to give myself and any readers a break, and then I will resume posting about the Migration Madness.

Flapping and Fun: October 16, Part 3

Posted on December 11, 2014 by pelicansrulegullsdrool

Dread Pirate Roberts had finished her bath and moved slightly closer to the dock to finish grooming.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) flaps its wings at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

It’s the Dread Pirate Roberts show! Starring Dread Pirate Roberts! Watch Pirate stand!

Watch Pirate flap!

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) standing in water at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Watch Pirate show off her Halloween costume as a plague doctor!

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) grooming at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Watch Pirate groom!

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) swimming at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Watch Pirate get sick of this shit and swim to the Shore Log!

As Pirate performed her repertoire, Lady Katherine completed a grooming session and capped it off by rising out of the water with a full-flap.

Lady Katherine doesn’t always flap after grooming, but she has done it enough that K used to watch her very carefully every time she groomed.

A female mute swan (Cygnus olor) flaps her wings at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Thank you for fitting into the frame, Lady K!

When she descends with her wings held out like that, the flight feathers remind me of the fingers on the white gloves of mimes.

I went over to the Shore Log to continue watching Dread Pirate Roberts. She had hopped on near the end of the log and was grooming. The other pelicans on the log were just hanging out.

A funny thing about allopreening among pelicans: almost every time I’ve seen it, the preener was preening a sleeping pelican. Often the pelican being preened would wake up and be pissed off that it was being touched.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) preens another pelican as they loaf on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Maybe pelicans are the creepers of the avian world.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) flaps its wings as it stands next to another pelican at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Dread Pirate Roberts is pretending to be Olivia Newton John’s Grease character singing in the Shake Shack; the pelican involuntarily cast as John Travolta, however, does not think that she’s the one that he wants.

I went back to the dock.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) flapping wings while standing on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

She looks like she was interrupted while plotting something and is now plotting against whoever interrupted her.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) bathing at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

I love the way the water looks as it surges up from the splashing pelican.

The log pelican began to groom. Pelicans look so silly and adorable when they rub their heads against their preen glands.

Not all was peaceful in the land of the pelicans, however. From the distant waters came a challenger for the Queen of the Log position.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) snaps at a rival pelican at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

No way! Fuck off!

Flapping really seems to be a response to aggressive/frightening situations, at least based upon what I’ve seen. Challengers will flap; winners of a challenge will flap; losers of a challenge will often flap. When a noise or something frightens the pelicans and they stiffen up and go into alert mode, some will begin to flap.

Sometimes challengers will flap but then settle down after another pelican threatens to jab them. I really thought that the challenger was going to settle down and start preening after her vigorous flap. That wasn’t what happened.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) jumps onto an already occupied log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Oh, she went for it!

I am amazed at how high pelicans can jump when they need to.

At least the power transfer is peaceful.

The challenger immediately went into a flapping frenzy, then began to preen.

The loser, too, flapped vigorously.

The pelican Schmendrick: “Magic, do as you will!”

Now she poses as though she is a figurehead on the prow of a ship.

The new Queen of the Log pelican flapped again and roused her feathers, secure in the knowledge that no bird in Part 4 would challenge her position.

Flapping and Fun: October 16, Part 2

Posted on November 29, 2014 by pelicansrulegullsdrool

The Queen of the Log pelican decided that she was willing to share her log with another worthy bird. Unfortunately, that did not reflect well on the pelican snoozing nearby.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) and American coot (Fulica americana) stand together on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Meet Rebecca and Svetlana, the stars of TV’s newest blockbuster comedy about a very strange couple that just moved into the neighborhood: Pelican and Coot.

Further out in the bay, two geese had just finished taking turns dipping their heads in the water for foreplay and were ready to get down to business.

Geese attempt to mate at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Hey, what are you doing? I’m supposed to be the one biting you!

Wait, now I’m confused. I thought I was supposed to bite you; you’re not supposed to bite me!

OW! Goddammit, forget this. I’m outta here.

Okay, I’m trying to be outta here.

The male was happy to terminate the mating attempt when he realized he could get a free ride around the bay by letting the female drag him.

The Queen of the Log got bored with her position and decided to move on.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) steps off a log to swim at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

I abdicate my position in order to be with my one true love . . . FISHIE!

Two pelicans had been swimming together around the bay, occasionally plunging their heads underwater to hunt for fish. They came across a piece of trash and squabbled over who got to play with it.

The pelican who was unable to get to the trash slowly moved on, and her partner abandoned the trash in order to keep up.

Then the pelican who had tried playing with the trash discovered an even better toy.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) plays with a stick at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Oooh! Look what I found!

A brief note about play: Justice Stewart’s aphorism about pornography also works when trying to describe what appears to be object-oriented play among the pelicans. Some instances of play are very obvious, but some are not. Repetition is a good indicator that the pelican is playing, but what about when there is only one incident? In this case, the pelican appeared as though she were purposefully engaging with a useless object, and she had done the same thing with the orange piece of trash just a few minutes before finding the stick. I’ve seen some pelicans, when they are in a playful mood, pick up object after object after object to drop and toss around.

I am Donatello of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Pellies! Check out the awesome moves I can do with my bo!

I WILL SAVE YOU, APRIL O’NEIL!

What, Michelangelo? You think you should be the one to rescue April O’Neil? Fuck you! I will fucking beat you with my bo!

Yeah, you’re scared. That’s right. I know you’re scared.

“Oh no, it’s Donatello from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Pellies! I’ve heard she can take out five Foot Soldiers with one swing!”

Hmmm. This is much more difficult to swing than I thought it would be.

So, Shredder. We meet at last.

Take THAT, fucker! Oh yeah! You’re scared; I know it!

She swam over to where the stick had landed. I thought she was going to look for it, but when her companion started swimming toward her, she abandoned what might have been her search and decided to crown herself Queen of the Log.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) jumps onto a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Weeeeeeee!

Perhaps inspired by the Queen of the Log’s play behavior, a different pelican picked up a stick, although she didn’t seem very interested in it. That is not atypical for play behavior: nearby pelicans watching the play can get interested enough that they try to pick up nearby objects and manipulate them. Most of the time, like with this bird, they lose interest quickly. But not always.

I went to the shore to see what was going on over there. Several pelicans were trying to figure out a way onto the prime loafing areas without encountering too much resistance.

Four American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Room for two more? Okay, fine; fuck that other pelican. Room for one more?

Three American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) stand on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

All right, there, partner: you can stay this time. But next time . . .

I went back to the dock, where a pelican was splashing up a storm as she bathed.

A pelican played with the same bit of trash that a different pelican had found a couple of days earlier.

Another pelican made a mighty leap onto a high-up section of log, got attacked, panicked, and jumped forward off the log into the water. They would have been lovely pictures except I had the exposure set way too dark. Oh well.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) swims away after jumping off a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

But now that exposure level works okay, doesn’t it, pelicansrulegullsdrool?

A pelican that had been swimming suddenly stopped, stood up, and flapped mightily.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) flapping at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

After a stirring performance Tamara was awarded first prize in the “air hula-hoop” contest.

Perhaps she was flapping to psych herself up for a confrontation, because after she sank back into the water she steamed toward the Queen of the Log log.

Out past the Queen of the Log log, Dread Pirate Roberts was bathing vigorously.

Sure enough, the swimming pelican reached the Queen of the Log log, paused, and launched herself into the air.

Two American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) fight for access to a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Holy shit! She just drop-kicked that pelican!

The pelican who was kicked managed to stay on the log.

You drop-kicked the mighty Donatello, then you stepped on her foot? YOU SHALL PAY.

When both of the birds were balanced together on the log, I thought they might settle down and share. I underestimated the original pelican’s dedication to keep the log to herself.

WATCH THIS, APRIL O’NEIL!

I may no longer have my bo, but I am a mighty warrior with the BEAK!

Watching them fight was like watching an arm wrestler slowly but steadily force an opponent’s arm down.

I’m losing? This isn’t right!

The pelican who lost looks like a cranky infant who was just put down into her crib when she still wants to be out playing.

The pelican who lost suddenly decided that she was going to fly somewhere far, far away. Then the pelicans of White Rock Lake would be sorry.

Part 3 will include more flapping, another fight, and much more Dread Pirate Roberts action.

Flapping and Fun: October 16, Part 1

Posted on November 28, 2014 by pelicansrulegullsdrool

Last fall, Q and I had the good luck to be at Sunset Bay at several different times when waves of pelicans would land. A large group would suddenly appear very high above the bay, and the birds would slowly spiral down on the thermals. When the group got low enough, individual birds would begin raining down into the water. Sometimes all of the birds in a group would land, but usually only some of the group landed while the rest flew back up on the thermals and moved on. Sometimes birds on the ground would fly up on the thermals and move on with the other pelicans.

When new birds land, there is great potential for excitement: birds bathing, exploring their new environment, fighting with other birds for the best loafing locations, etc.

I was still seeing scissor-tailed flycatchers in the area, and when I arrived at the lake on the 16th, I saw one hanging out in a tree near a small field.

Several pelicans were swimming around the bay, exploring. Almost immediately a pelican forced another pelican off a slightly elevated loafing area, then stole her position.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) leaps onto a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

I didn’t want it, anyway. HARUMPH!

The usurping pelican beat her wings in triumph.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) flaps her wings after jumping onto a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

MINE!

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) beats her wings after jumping on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Whew! That felt good!

What are you looking at, human?

The pelican stood there for less than two minutes before deciding that the area just wasn’t good enough for her.

I thought she would swim around until she found a better log to jump up onto, but I was in for a surprise. She took off right there from the water!

The pelican she had initially kicked off the log also got in on the action.

The pelican who had taken off first didn’t fly very far, and I tracked her as she went by.

I looked around to see what else was going on around the bay.

Don’t mind me.

Then I noticed some familiar activity out on a log.

Yes, I definitely knew what was going to happen next!

American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) fight while standing on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

I AM GOING TO EAT YOUR FACE!

GAH! What the fuck is wrong with you?

How do you like it, asshole?!

The attacked pelican was able to hold her ground and go back to preening. Sometimes when pelicans are hanging out, one bird will attack another for seemingly no reason.

A different bird engaged in a good flapping fit nearby. I love seeing the way they move their wings and what their wings look like in different positions.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) flaps her wings at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Right as Lulu stepped on stage to begin her audition, she realized that she had wet herself.

MAYBE IF I FLAP REALLY HARD, I CAN DRY OUT AND NO ONE WILL NOTICE.

A sleepy pelican drifted by the Queen of the Log. She looked like a big floating marshmallow.

And a juvenile was stretched out, scratching.

I looked up and noticed a flock of pelicans overhead. Yes! This was the action I’d been hoping for! There were at least twenty birds in the flock, and all of them landed. Unfortunately, they landed out past the far-away logs, but they did eventually start swimming in to interact with the existing birds.

A new bird waddled up to the Queen of the Log pelican. I waited for her to jump on or for the pelican on the log to snap at her. Instead, the intruding pelican began to preen. Nooooo!

A juvenile attempted to explore and conquer the log that a different juvenile had experienced difficulty with the day before.

Juvenile American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) tries to keep her balance on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

And everyone said this log is so difficult to loaf on! You just need to step carefully . . .

. . . and get the other foot up on there.

I’ve got it!

Uh-oh.

No; this can’t be happening! I told EVERYONE how easy it was going to be to stay on the log!

I got it, everyone! Nothing to worry about! Go on back to hunting! Nothing to see here!

GODDAMMIT, THEY’RE ALL STILL WATCHING ME.

The juvenile’s brave attempts to conquer the log ultimately ended in a SPLASH. She swam over to the Stump and seemed to be debating whether she wanted to jump on when she decided to move along.

Two American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) relax at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

OH MY GOD, JUVENILE, HOW ARE YOU MISSING PART OF YOUR BODY?

Another pelican posed on the Shore Log.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) loafing on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Do you find me mysterious? I am trying to pose mysteriously.

Part 2 will be up soon, with more flapping and another fight.

A Fish Fight and a Much More Vicious Fight: October 15

Posted on November 14, 2014 by pelicansrulegullsdrool

When I first went out to watch the pelicans, they were pretty chill. Several pelicans were sitting and standing on the Shore Log. Some were grooming; some were trying to sleep. None of them looked like they wanted to start a fight or go exploring.

Four American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) loaf on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Can someone order out for sushi?

I went to the dock to see if there was any action there.

Two American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) loaf on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

What is this “action” of which you speak?

A juvenile was out in the water playing with a feather. She bounced it in her pouch before dropping it and picking it up a few times.

No pelicans were loitering around the Queen of the Log log, and the Queen who was there was busy grooming.

I watched a pelican swimming by, hoping that she might try to jump on a log or do something interesting. She didn’t.

At least the pigeon that landed on the dock was pretty.

I noticed a commotion out past the Queen of the Log log. Four pelicans had suddenly drawn together. At first I thought they were playing—a few of them seemed to duck down as though they were trying to pick something up out of the water—but they didn’t seem to be moving in such a way that I associate with object play. Then I saw a flash of green. A fish!

Four American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) hunting for fish at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

FISHIE IS MINE!

Four American while pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) hunt for fish at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Uhhh, pelican, you’re supposed to swallow the fish head first.

I wasn’t sure whether the pelican who initially had the fish managed to retain it or if another pelican snatched it away.

The chase is finished . . . or has it just begun?

I did not get the next pic in focus, but I wanted to post it to show the outline of the fish inside the pelican’s pouch.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) with a fish in her pouch at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Slosh, slosh, slosh your fish, gently in your pouch . . .

Just as I had seen when a pelican ate a dead fish, the bird swam off on her own, away from where the other groups of pelicans were congregating, and tilted her head back as she drifted away.

American white pelican swims with a fish in its pouch at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

She looks like she has a horrible tumor growing in her pouch.

That’s not an angle you often see on a pelican!

Closer to the dock, a group of coots were milling about. One cute little coot was hanging around with her wing held out jauntily.

American coot (Fulica americana) holding another coot underwater at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Don’t mind me!

Except that cute little coot with the jaunty wing was a red-hot killing machine. She was in that posture for a purpose: TO DROWN ANOTHER COOT.

Goddammit, why are we coots so fucking buoyant?

I starting noticing aggressive behavior among coots starting a few weeks before this incident. Some coots would swim with their necks held out stiffly and as close to the water as possible, as though they were pissed-off geese, and as they swam they would hold their hindquarters and wings slightly elevated so one could easily see the white feathers on their rumps. Occasionally the aggressive coots would charge toward another coot, who would quickly swim away, and a few times I briefly saw an aggressive coot fighting an opponent by kicking at them. Attempted drowning was new for me.

American coot (Fulica americana) tries to drown another coot at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Doo da doo . . .

Why does my maniacal laugh sound so much like a cute little chirp?

Hey guys, what are you doing? OH SHIT OH SHIT OH SHIT PLEASE DON’T LOOK AT ME PLEASE DON’T FOLLOW ME.

An American coot (Fulica americana) tries to drown another coot at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Jesus, coots are hardcore!

Swim for it, little one!

Next, on “Coots Who Kill,” hear serial killer Anna the Coot describe how her last victim almost escaped from her evil clutches.

The aggressive coot easily subdued the fleeing coot and held her underwater. Again the coot escaped and was recaptured and forced back underwater. Finally the victimized coot was able to get free and stay free.

The pelicans were still very chill.

Back at the Shore Log, the birds were still grooming.

Two American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) preen while standing on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Dread Pirate Roberts and another pelican preen together. Perhaps the pelican on the left closed her eye to make Pirate feel more welcome.

Then I saw a familiar pelican: the bird with the hurt foot from October 11. I last saw her on November 8th, and although she is still limping quite a bit, she seems to be getting around much better than she did at this time. I can’t believe both she and Copper Woman have been here for a month.

I have decided to name the bird with the hurt foot Philoctetes.

Before I left, I went out on the dock one last time. A juvenile jumped up on an oddly shaped log and was having a great deal of difficulty keeping her balance.

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) flaps her wings as she tries to keep her balance at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

I can do it!

American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) sinks into water after losing her balance at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

No, I can’t!

Fuck this log!

A dozing pelican briefly opened her eyes, then closed them again. Much more action would occur in the next few days, and perhaps she knew she would need her energy.

The Beginnings of Pelican Mayhem: October 14

Posted on November 10, 2014 by pelicansrulegullsdrool

The title isn’t entirely true; the mayhem started the day before, on October 13, when pelicans began to fight each other for access to colonize the nearby loafing areas. It was windy outside and the water was choppy, which made the pelicans’ abilities to encroach upon and defend new areas more difficult than usual.

On the fourteenth, the pelicans were still quite feisty. A large group kept circling the bay, hunting. Small groups splintered off to hunt on their own and later rejoined the main group. Other birds bathed and loafed, and birds who finished bathing or who wanted a break from hunting tried to steal log space away from loafing pelicans.

Because there are so many pictures in this post, there will be a cut near the beginning of the narrative.

American white pelican ((Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) preens her feathers at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Such a peaceful beginning.

Some of the swimming birds found trash to bounce around in their pouches in play.

Two American white peliacns (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos), one of which is catching a tossed piece of trash in its beak while swimming at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

A few days later a different pelican would find the same bit of trash and toss it around as well.

The Queen of the Log log was an important location in the day’s events (and in general in the lives of the pelicans at White Rock Lake). It is a small log that is maybe fifty feet away from the edge of the dock. Two pelicans can share it if they both cooperate. IF.

Two American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Oh, please. Do you really think I’m budging for the likes of you?

The juvenile was easily intimidated and moseyed away, but an adult thought she would try her luck.

Continue reading →

Bird Versus Fish: Pelicans on February 3, 2014

Posted on October 11, 2014 by pelicansrulegullsdrool

When Q and I went to visit the pelicans on Sunday, February 2, we didn’t stay long because it was very cold. There was a dead fish bobbing in the water about halfway between the shore and one of the long logs that the pelicans liked to perch on. I call that log the Log of Status. Q was surprised to see the carcass still relatively unmolested: he thought that another bird would have happened upon it and eaten it. “Mother Nature is falling down on her job!” he said. Coots and gulls would occasionally swim over and peck at the fish, but they didn’t seem particularly interested in it.

On Monday the fish was still there. The weather was still very cold, and the light was dim. A few pelicans landed in the bay and swam around for a little while, but the majority of the pelicans were huddled together on logs.

Just as Q and I had seen the day before, a gull and a coot were taking turns half-heartedly pecking at the dead fish.

Suddenly a pelican was flying past the Log of Status and toward the shore. She threw one wing in the air vertically and one wing out horizontally, bracing herself as she skidded to a stop in the very shallow water. Pelicans might land close to shore, but only when there are other pelicans there. This pelican was landing well past the place where the other pelicans were congregating.

Once she recovered from her landing, she began to swim. This was not a leisurely swim; she was going so fast that she was pushing up a wave of water ahead of her body. As I watched, she seemed to keep getting larger and larger. She was swimming straight toward me, toward the shore!

It wasn’t until she leaned down and opened her bill that I realized that she was going for the fish.

She wasn’t exactly trying to scoop up the fish but was instead trying to position herself so that the moving water would float the fish into her pouch. I had to remind myself to keep taking pics and to not just watch. I was very excited. I’d never been so close to a pelican eating a fish.

Suddenly another pelican was steaming toward the first pelican, probably hoping for an opportunity to steal away the fish. The first pelican quickly stuffed all of the fish into her pouch. Only about forty-five seconds had elapsed since I noticed the first bird flying toward the fish.

Pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) with a fish in her gular pouch swimming past another pelican at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Like two ships passing in the night. Except it’s day. And they aren’t ships. And one has a fish and the other doesn’t.

Pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) raising her head to eat a fish in her gular pouch as another pelican swims next to her at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Down the hatch! Eventually.

The first pelican drifted far away, way past the pelicans on the Log of Status. She kept her head tilted in the same position as she floated. The second pelican followed her briefly before getting bored and swimming back to jump onto a log close to the shore. I call that log the Shore Log. After she got on the Shore Log, she worked her way to one side and had a good scratching session.

Another bird jumped onto the log.

She squabbled a bit with the existing pelican, but they both calmed down before any major beaking got going.

Two pelicans (american white pelicans; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) standing together on a log at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Well, I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree, but I really believe that Jean-Luc Picard was the best captain of the Enterprise.

Another pelican joined the two birds on the log, although she did so peacefully.

A pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) standing on a log with her wings outstretched at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

I always liked Captain Janeway.

Close to the Log of Status is a large stump where pelicans like to loaf. These two had fought briefly before settling down. Fighting is very common among the pelicans here, although the birds typically settle down after a few lunges.

Then a very special pelican flew into the bay.

Tagged pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) UT12S21 (S21) standing in water at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

I’M HERE! LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!

I first saw and reported UT12S21 (S21) to the Bird Banding Laboratory on December 11, 2013. She stayed at White Rock Lake until the very end of the season, leaving in the first week of April. She was a first-year pelican originally from the Great Salt Lake, which is pretty incredible—research indicates that North American white pelicans are divided by the Rocky Mountains into two main populations, and migrating pelicans don’t typically cross the mountains. Of course, doing uncommon and courageous things was just part of S21’s style. She had a distinct personality, and I always enjoyed watching her interactions with other pelicans. I was a little disappointed when she joined the others on the Shore Log with no drama.

Then excitement occurred when the next pelican took her turn.

A pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) standing on a log, her wings outstretched, between two more pelicans at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

Hi, y’all! What’s going on? Wanna play Scrabble?

A pelican (american white pelican; Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) opens her beak as a threat toward another pelican while standing on a log at at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX

FUCK YOU! ALL I WANTED WAS TO PLAY SOME SCRABBLE! HOW DARE YOU SUGGEST HUNGRY HUNGRY HIPPOS!

The new pelican’s aggression was a bluff; she settled in quite nicely with the others.

I can sell you some beautiful land in Florida. Beautiful rolling land. Called Black Creek. You’ve got to act fast, though . . .

A few birds were still coming in, but the birds who were established on the logs were preening or sleeping. My toes were numb and my fingers were cold. I went home to warm up.

The Pelican Can

If it fits in my pouch, I can eat it!

Tag Archives: FIGHT!