Diving for breakfast

A brown pelican diving for his breakfast on the Gulf of Mexico in Florida

comments (12)

Ferdy Christant

Lion

Superb action shot! Posted 10 years ago
1. pedalmasher
  
  Snow Leopard
  
  Thanks Ferdy, after taking this shot, I wrote an article illustrating it with this among other photos explaining how pelicans turn to one side to slap the water with their backs and hence stun their prey, and do so on the same side due to some vulnerable parts in the other side of their neck. They do it so fast, that you don't notice it so I was very pleased to stop the action here just as the bird is rotating his body ready to slam into the water. Posted 10 years ago
2. 1. Ferdy Christant
    
    Lion
    
    That explains the angle, thanks for educating me! Posted 10 years ago
  2. 1. pedalmasher
      
      Snow Leopard
      
      One of the things I love about nature photography is the educational journey in that I try to learn about everything that I photograph. Posted 10 years ago
    2. 1. Ferdy Christant
        
        Lion
        
        That's a great attitude, and exactly the point of this website :) Posted 10 years ago
    3. pedalmasher
      
      Snow Leopard
      
      Ferdy, I notice that you cannot reply to replies so I am going back a bit to reply to your last comment. I gather that about the website and that's one of the things I like about it and hence my enthusiastic participation. Compared to a site like Pixoto, seemingly designed to deliver the maximum amount of aggravation to participants, this place is a pleasant find! :) Posted 10 years ago
    4. 1. Ferdy Christant
        
        Lion
        
        Yes, we reached the maximum reply level, it is in place due to layout space constraints, just so you know.
        
        I'm glad you like the educational part of this website, it really is at the core of what we do. In particular the species system is what makes it possible. When people use it long enough, they may even experience the "JungleDragon" effect. When I started in photography, I just went on random trips, and had no idea what I was shooting. Since then, I've become species-aware, because this site enforces me to think about it. Now I "collect" species, and always want to know a species name, and try to photograph new ones. I obsess over it. That transformation from clueless to awareness is the JungleDragon effect, and I hope many people experience it.
        
        By the way, it is clear that you're already species-aware, identifying species from your first photo :) Posted 10 years ago
    5. pedalmasher
      
      Snow Leopard
      
      Thanks for the explanation on the space constraints. I got my first DSLR in June of 2013 and have been on a mission to do precisely what you say. I need to travel more, but as a retired airline pilot, I travelled enough in my 25 years as a pilot to make me a bit of a home body! :) Posted 10 years ago
    6. 1. Ferdy Christant
        
        Lion
        
        Judging by your photos I would think you had been photographing longer! Regarding travel, at least you do live in a giant country full of wildlife to explore :) Posted 10 years ago
    7. pedalmasher
      
      Snow Leopard
      
      Thanks, I really immersed myself in the pursuit and took the New York Institute of Photography course in professional photography which I won by taking first place in the Popular Photography/NY Institute of Photography annual photo contest. It also helps to live in this kind of environment where I can photograph all manners of creatures within walking distance of my house. Posted 10 years ago
    8. 1. Sunil R Agadi
        
        Lion
        
        Great Congrates. We will get to see lots of your work and will get to learn new things. Do keep writing new techniques or tricks and sharing your experience. Posted 10 years ago

pedalmasher

Snow Leopard

Thanks Sunil, I appreciate that! Posted 10 years ago

The Brown pelican

The brown pelican is a bird of the pelican family, Pelecanidae, one of three species found in the Americas and one of two that feed by diving into water. It is found on the Atlantic Coast from New Jersey to the mouth of the Amazon River, and along the Pacific Coast from British Columbia to northern Chile, including the Galapagos Islands.

Info 93 0

Similar species: Pelicans, Herons, Ibises

Species identified by pedalmasher