Australian Pelican in action

Went out birding in my local freshwater river system and wanted to get some BIF photo's of a Pelican if possible and anything else that fly's, walks, crawls or slivers.

I did manage to find a lone Pelican and because there was a lot of shade I needed to get in a good position incase he decided to take flight. He decided to cooperate and a managed a few shots of him before he went behind a river deviding bank. I also managed to get him again but was surprised by him around another corner and he was pretty close on the last photo.

I have also added some water dragons on another thread from the same trip.

regards,
Vas

great set

Fun things, pelicans.

In the first and last shots, you have some pink in the bill. In the middle shots, not. Difference in exposure or contrast?

Really depends on the lighting. That colour is very sensitive to light changes.

Also I shot the 1st one in Apeture priority but all the last ones where shot in manual.

Hen3ry wrote:

Fun things, pelicans.

In the first and last shots, you have some pink in the bill. In the middle shots, not. Difference in exposure or contrast?

spot on, i think i was @ 115mm for the middle flight ones and 210mm for 1st and last

Skeeterbytes wrote:

Really nice! Pro zoom plus TC?

Cheers,

Rick

Very good set of images.  Also a pretty bird.

thank you drj3, they are pretty and also big birds

drj3 wrote:

Very good set of images. Also a pretty bird.

How do you know he's Australian?  Couldn't' he have just been passing through on his way to someplace else?

That's the official name over here. If I said Pelecanus conspicillatusmost people won't know what I'm talking about

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_pelican

Glen Barrington wrote:

How do you know he's Australian? Couldn't' he have just been passing through on his way to someplace else?

If you saw him with a coconut, you could probably tell by how he was carrying it

Terrific set!

Glen Barrington wrote:

How do you know he's Australian? Couldn't' he have just been passing through on his way to someplace else?

…if they are in Australia and look like that, they are Australian pelicans. They are supposed to be in Papua New Guinea too but I haven't seen them here and I am sure they are not in the islands where I am but I might be wrong.

Lots of other birds do migrate over vast distances internationally, but not Pelicans.

They do migrate around in Australia rather amazingly. On the rare occasions when Lake Eyre fills, they apper in mega-thousands apparently out of nowhere (along with some other water birds). How do they know?

Some very nice shots there of a rather funny looking bird!  Never seen eyes quite like that, he almost looks like a cartoon character.  Anyway you did some good work.

Thanks all for the comments