Pelicans are curious creatures. They are quite different from any other bird I've ever watched and they are curious about us. As I've discovered in other realms of nature, the young seem to be most curious. I'm not sure if they are just getting to know us humans, as well as we can be known, or if they have not developed a fear of us.
When I got my new Canon 100mm-400mm zoom lens I was ready to take pictures of things I'd previously not been able to get near enough. Since then I've discovered 400mm doesn't get you as close as I'd imagined but it's twice as far as I'd been able to zoom before. Getting the lens in December was perfect timing. It has been too cold and windy for flowers or the things I usually find. I've learned that birds do get blown around a good bit and I've had many shots of them with their little feathers going in all directions but they have been a wonderful change of pace. This lens has opened up a whole new area for my photography! I began with the squirrels and birds in our backyard and have moved on from there.
If you've spent any time along the water you've probably seen pelicans. I had never really gotten to know much about them but once I started taking pictures of pelicans I became a little bit obsessed! In this album you will see photographs I've taken along the Bon Secour River in Bon Secour, AL, in Mobile Bay across from the Battleship USS Alabama and in Weeks Bay out at Pelican Point. My best outing by far was the one to Mobile Bay. I drove along the causeway looking right and left trying to spot some pelicans or water birds of any type. I'd about given up hope when I spotted a fairly large group of them resting on old wooden pilings between the causeway and I-10. I parked and eased on down by the water as close as I could get. I sat on some old broken up concrete and felt lucky when a young brown pelican came over to check me out. He kept a safe distance as he swam back and forth but I was able to get some good shots. Several of the pelicans perched on the wooden posts and from time to time one would fly off and then they'd switch places as that one came back and another would take his place. I got my tripod and set up and it didn't seem to faze the pelicans. They knew they were far enough away and I suppose they are used to people. They were sunning and napping close to a fish camp. The last trip I made for my pelican hunt was to Weeks Bay. A man went out to check his crab traps and the pelicans were flocking right behind him waiting for a handout. It was a very gray and windy day but again a young one came close to see what I was doing. I think they are curious about my lens. It's pretty large and light colored. I know it will scare off normal birds! From what I've read the pelicans that are all brown are the young ones; as they mature they change colors. You will easily be able to spot the young and curious pelicans.
