The Antics of Pelicans

While visiting the Monkey Mia Conservation Reserve within the Shark Bay World Heritage Area, we of course, like everyone else saw the dolphins, but I only took a few photos of them, for who did I spy but my favourite birds ... pelicans.

A small number of dolphins get fed from the beach in a controlled feeding 2-3 times every morning. The feeding includes a talk about dolphins to the visitors that flock to the area. The pelicans - between 4-8 at a time, get held at the back of the beach by a staff member holding a bucket of fish. They don't get fed until the dolphin talk and feeding is finished. That way the pelicans don't try and steal the fish from the dolphins, because the pelicans know that when the yellow bucket appears that it holds fish for them, and if they wait patiently they will be fed. They waddle up to the back of the beach and wait, making deep knocking noises in their throats, trying to boss the person with the bucket to feed them now. There is a little bit of argy bargy between them, trying to get the best spot. Then the feeding frenzy takes places. Only 1 fish each as the aim is not to teach them to be reliant on humans, rather to keep them from hurting the people or the dolphins at the beach during the dolphin feeding. (I should mention here that the small number of dolphins also only get a small amount of fish so they can still remain 'wild').

Watching the antics of these beautiful birds always brings joy to my heart. Here are my photos of the pelican show - much more fun for me than joining a line of people watching the dolphins.

and so the wait begins

and a few more arrive

and the bird gives her the eye ... come on he is thinking

and still they patiently wait, bloody dolphins getting all the attention, they think

now their mouths are watering

and their beaks are getting ready

for soon it must be their turn

but this old codger has given up hope and is dozing off

when wait - bugger - he says, they threw the fish over there

and this one smugly swallows

and the others agitate

with more fish incoming ... the squabbling begins

and now it's full on fighting, watch the silver gull caught up in between

Its all over now ... waddling away

I'll have a quick look back

and this one decided to stay.

The rest flew out to sea, soaring on the wind, they'll be back when next the dolphins come in.