Firstly, the credit for the picture goes to "Wino". "Wino" is my partner in crime in our blog FauxNEWS, the link of which is listed "over there ->".
He takes a pretty mean photograph, I must say! I just had to share this beautiful picture of one of my favourite birds with you.
Pelicans and I have an affinity...no...in no way do I resemble a pelican, thank you very much!
I was fishing one afternoon at the estuary of the Maroochy River on the Sunshine Coast. As was the habit at the time, I was the chief scaler, cleaner and "filleter" of the fish my ex-husband and I caught. I'm not sure how I managed to volunteer for that job, but somehow it became my regular chore.
We'd had a successful outing. My ex decided he'd keep fishing while I cleaned our "catch". With my back to the water, crouched down, I was intently engrossed in my job at hand when I heard him walking up behind me. Well, I thought I heard him walking up behind me. I turned around to say something to my ex, only to be met eye-to-eye by a pelican who was intent of sharing our future dinner with us! I must admit I nearly jumped out of my skin. Not that pelicans scare me, but I wasn't expecting to go eye-ball to eye-ball and bill with a giant bird! Not at all put off from his endeavour, Master Pelican kept on flip-flopping towards his goal, which I valiantly tried to protect. Meanwhile, my husband remained at the water's edge, laughing his head off!
A couple of years later, we were managing a floating, cruising restaurant on the Noosa River. Dockside, there was a little seafood/fish and chip shop, which was attached to the jetty where the riverboat restaurant moored. I'd open the shop between the hours of 11am-2pm and then 4pm-6pm. The Noosa River pelicans set their watches by my routine. Without fail, moments before opening time, they'd sail or swoop in, taking up their positions on the jetty posts or railings, waiting for their daily treats. It got to the stage where I never had to look at a clock to inform me it was time to prepare the shop for opening. The arrival of the pelicans was all I needed.
They are a stately, magnificent bird. Thanks for the photograph, Wino.
Fantastic photo, as Wino's are, I discovered last night. Really funny story, Lee..that bit when you turned round and there was this - well - pelican! Love your blog, as always.
ReplyDeletePelicans are a pain in the butt when you're fishing, they'll pinch the fish you've caught as soon as look at you. I've heard some really amusing stories about that sort of thing, with fisherman becoming really irate over the cheeky so and sos.
ReplyDeleteHi Welsh...yes, Wino's pics are quite amazing...that butterfly he posted in FauxNEWS is one of my favourites. I'll get him to post a couple of swans that he took...they are magnificent. You can imagine my reaction when I came face to face, down at his level, only about two inches away from the pelican, Welsh! Hahahaha! It was funny!
ReplyDeleteYes, Robyn...they take no prisoners when they're on a mission, the pelicans. They are great...I love them. :)
Magnificent photo Lee, a lovely bird too. I am used to seeing the grey ones, not that lovely black and white fella.
ReplyDeleteYou always have a great story to tell us.
regards
jmb
Thanks,jmb...as you do, yourself. :)
ReplyDeleteNow you see why I have an "envie" for that new camera.
ReplyDeleteFine shot Wino!
Well, stop envying and go get it, Marc...have a look in FauxNEWS, (link is on my main page) Marc...it's Wino's and my blog...he posted a couple of great pics in there a couple of days ago, with promises of more to come. He has some wonderful bird pictures that you and Stormy will love to see. :)
ReplyDeleteMy story for you, Lee, is when I was working in Wyoming for Continental Pipeline. This is sorta west central USA.
ReplyDeleteI was working at a remote pump station about 60 miles from the nearest town. I rented a GMC Suburban for the job so I woudn't have to drive 120 miles round trip each day. I was truely roughing it, sleeping in the back in a sleeping bag.
On the first day it was pitch black by the time I quit work. I tripped over a Jack Rabbit on the way to the truck. They are the ones that sit 2' (2/3 M) tall with 1/2 M ears on top. He went straight up in the air, into my arms and over my head. I had to sit down and wait for the adrenalin to go.
The next day, I was carrying in some equipment and boxes of parts. on the last trip in I glanced down and there was a Diomond Back Rattle Snake on one of the steps. It was a small one, only 3 or 4 feet long (they get to 10 Ft). I went in to get something to whack it with, but no joy. I watched out for that snake for the next week.
The third day, I was running tests in the small control building and caught movement out of the corner of my eye. By the time I looked, there was nothing there. So I was cruizng on with my job, when all ofa sudden I heard this SQUEEEEK and this dang rabbit ran all the way through the control building, in one door and out the other. I jumped up and ran to the door, to see this huge rabbit being pursued by either a fox or some other doggy shaped predator. Another few minutes of sit down time.
They also had these small hoppy rodents about the size of squirrels. They would steal anything not colored brown. they loved wire terminals, especially the red ones.
I had a couple more visits from the rabbits. They obviously had rarely or perhaps never seen humans.
I'll remember that trip for the rest of my life.
I check your joint site out regularly.
ReplyDeleteYou arejust more fun to harrass Lee.
lol Thanks, Marc!
ReplyDeleteBtw Marc...I'm "Dagny" in FauxNEWS in case you didn't recognise me! ;)
ReplyDeleteThe pelicans frequent a lake we fish here in Nebraska. I like the way they get in a cirlce and start laughing at the fisherman who need to use hooks and line instead of their mouths.
ReplyDeleteNice article below about you memorial type day. We're going to have to do something about this incessant giggling of yours.
Lee,
ReplyDeleteUs Texans do have some workable mental skills. We can equate Sunny=Dagny=Lee on most clear days.
It's you Aussies that have a problem. Yoy cannot tell time. For a fact, I know it is about 1:45 pm there. But your site says 8:45 PM.
NannaNannaNanna. So there.
Sorry, meant to mention it's April 26 there also. You folks are just way ahead of us Texans.
ReplyDeleteFrom your title
ReplyDeleteYou can tune a piano, but you can not tune a fish.
On that "note", have a good night all.
Sand Man is beating me to death!
Hahahahaha! You're in fine form today, Marc. I can seen I'm going to have to have a whisper in Stormy's ear to pull you in line! ;)
ReplyDeleteHey there Cliff... I'm just not safe to be let on my own! ;)
Thanks for the comments on the pic, Lee. I have some more that I'll post on FauxNEWS. Maybe today. I don't know.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I have finished my work over here, but can't get a flight out until next week. What a terrible spot I'm in! I'm stuck in Singapore in a four star hotel with someone else picking up the tab.
It's a hard job, but somebody's got to do it. I think I'll go to the zoo tomorrow, if the weather clears.
Gee Whiz! Life is tough sometimes, Don! I wouldn't mind being stuck in Singapore with someone else picking up the tab, either! I had a pretty good time...no, a great time when I was there a few years ago! Not a bad spot to be stranded at all! We have some great zoos down this way, too! ;)
ReplyDeletelee,
ReplyDeleteAnimals and birds are quite adept at telling time: petting time, eating time, and bed time.
More than one acquaintance has called me a bird before. ;-)
rel
Sounds more like me, Rel! ;)
ReplyDeleteHi Lee ~~ I am sure you have heard the rhyme "What a wonderful bird is the pelican; His beak can hold more than his belly-can". Good story, thanks. Also thanks for the comments. You'd better go get a roast chicken and veg for yourself.
ReplyDeleteMine was a microwavable one I buy at Safeway (Woolworths in Q'ld.)
Take care, my friend, Love, Merle.
Hi Merle...yes, I've definitely heard of that one. :)
ReplyDeleteI've got a couple of frozen chickens in my freezer, so I guess I'll just have to defrost one next week! ;)
You open your eyes
ReplyDeleteAnd say in surprise
I wonder how in the hell-e-can.
well i dunno... the pelican didn't eat Nemo! lol
ReplyDeletegreat post.. and great photo!
I never thought ill of pelicans until I saw a video on television where this pelican just up and ate another bird that was foraging in the grass near him. Don't know if you ever saw this video clip but it is shocking.
ReplyDeleteI like Pelicans. Alway look a bit clumsy until they take flight.
ReplyDeleteI think you and Merle know that verse, Peter! ;)
ReplyDeleteThat's true, Deslily...I loved that movie! :)
Dave, No...I've not seen it, but that's the "law of the jungle", I guess, as any nature documentary shows. Humans, who are part of nature, can be pretty brutal to each other,too. So, don't look too unkindly upon the pelican. :)
I too love Pelicans,I work at Pelican Waters and soon will be living there. (About 10 min. from here)
ReplyDeleteThere are nice arched bridges over the canals at Pelican waters dressed with lovely curved light poles,one needs to keep an eye to the heavens when walking across any of these bridges as the pelicans perch on them as shown by the evidence on the path. Loved your ANZAC post also Mother's day special. I was very moved by the kookaburras, as I know how true that would have been for our "boys"
Cheers Margaret
Nice to see you Margaret...thanks for your comments.
ReplyDeleteYou'll need a umbrella when walking across those bridges! :)