So on the days I'm guilty of taking over 100 pics in the space of a few short moments, then what is one to do? Well, '150' is a bit of a milestone of sorts so, why not a .5 special?
You will be familiar, dear reader, with my fondness for taking pics of birds: the loris, kookas, bazas and pheasant coucals in the backyard, and yes, occasional noisy miners and crows. You will be familiar, dear reader, with the birds of the uni lake and surrounds: ibis, ducks, swans, shags, swamp hens, wrens, swallows, spoonbills, egrets, and yes, occasionally annoying plovers.
But the pelicans are my sentimental favourite. They are water birds, large and ungainly looking until they are wading or flying. They balance atop lamp posts or boating markers. They have marvellous beaks and big eyes. They were also the main subject of my first major photography assignment back in high school (yes, I know, that is a long time to have been taking photos and I should be better but I'm working on it). I went to the Gold Coast Broadwater area to catch all the seabirds, mainly pelicans and seagulls. I remain intrigued and inspired by the photographic process, and these birds.
Anyway, today they were getting up to their usual antics: graceful solos, pack foraging, playful and big, just being big and majestic in that clumsy-cute sort of way.
I've not explained my fascination terribly well so here, just have a look:
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| At ease |
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| Probably not pelicans, actually |
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| To rest, to wade, to stand? Or reflect. |
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| In step... |
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| Sooo, as I was telling Jonathon.... |
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| Beaked, bills |
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| A squadron, pod or scoop of pelicans... I suppose it depends what they're up to... |
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| Found something... |
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| Synchronised swimmers |
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| Play catch with me? |
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| Squadron captain |
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| Slips fielder 1 |
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| Slips fielder 2 |
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| Slips fielder 3: Howzat! |
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| Hmm...1 |
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| Photographer at four o'clock: drink! |
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| Hmmm...2 |
And one more thing: for some reason a National Geographic (or similar) photo of an underwater shot of a diving pelican with bill fully extended like a balloon sticks in my mind. I've always aimed to capture that.
Pelicans, eh. No I don't get it either, but happy 150th pic of the day dear reader, and thanks for coming along so far.
[Camera : Canon EOS 60D, 75-300mm, 4.15pm-4.29pm]
