
Pelis-can

fly in formation.

The birds in the back coast,

on the updraft from the birds in the front.

They swap positions regularly,

so no one gets tired.

Cooperation is a powerful force,

and much more fun than fighting.

Cheers to you from the pelis who can cooperate~
Cool! Thanks for sharing. 😆 Pelicans look fun to me.
It is super fun to watch them virtual dive bomb the water and fly up with a fish. I can tell they are having fun!
Oh, lovely. Just before we left I saw a check line (not quite a ‘V’) of Canada Geese!
Had to have been 30 or 40!
A few years back while visiting Florida I got and up close an person photo of a Peli-can ‘hamming it up’ for the camera at the end of a peir.
Cheers for a great 2022 to you two and two and Four-Ever GR8!
How wonderful to see the check line! Pelicans can become quite accustomed to people, especially if the people have fish!!
I’ve said it many times….Humans have a lot to learn from animals!
Sweet birds. Sweet post. Thank you, Cindy!
I agree with you completely as usual Resa! Happy New Year my friend!
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YES! Happy New Year to you, too, Cindy!
The colors are amazing!
Aren’t they gorgeous. We have Egyptian Pelicans here too, but they tend to be on the inland lakes. They are pure white.
They are an amazing bird Cindy. It always amazes me that they all look exactly the same around the world…but different colors. Must have been the fish they eat 🤣. Great pictures dear lady, may there be many more for the new year 😀 ❤️ 🙏🏽 🦋 ✨ 🎇 💥 🌹 🍾 🍸 🌈 🕊 💫
They are amazing. I have seen them all over the world, and encountering them in distant places is like greeting an old friend. They are MUCH bigger to the south (everything is) and the most amazing diving/fishing pelicans I have ever seen were off the island of St. Croix. Happiest New Year to you Mark and I so look forward to sharing another virtual year with you my friend.
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Thank you dear lady, and I look forward to a New Year with your magic too. Happy New Year! 😀 ❤️ 🙏🏽 🦋 ✨ 🎇 💥 🌹 🍾 🍸 🌈 🕊 💫
Happy New Year Mark!
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Beautiful
Grazie mille!
I still remember how thrilled I was the first time I saw pelicans flying in formation like this! We were visiting friends who had a house at the beach (just north of Del Mar), and the pelicans flew right over the deck! It was awesome, and I love your photos of their formations and how they cooperate! Thank you!
When I was a child pelicans were relatively rare because DDT had made them endangered. Now the thrilling sight you are describing is something that can be witnessed often, which is a true blessing. I am happy you saw this and that it thrilled you. Stay safe & well my Kathy.
Excellent photos! Love their formation. Forms a beautiful line.
Thank you very much . It is soothing to the senses to see nature asserting order out of chaos. I hope you have a Happy New Year my friend & look forward to sharing another virtual year with you.
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Wonderful fotos, thank you for sharing. You are right: cooperation is a powerful force, we always see this in spring when the migratory birds fly back in formation from the south and in autumn when they fly south. I wish you the best for 2022, Marie
I love to see birds in formation migrating. It is one of the true wonders of nature. Happy & Healthy New Year to you Marie!
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The red bill stripes and the formation flying in these fantastic photos were both new to me.
Love the contrast between the ungainly look of pelicans standing on land (or floating on the water surface) and the masterful grace of pelicans in flight. It’s like the contrast between penguins waddling on land and penguins flying underwater.
You are so right in your comparison with penguins on land and in the water. This is also true of ungainly seals on land who are ballet dancers in the water. Also definitely true with boobies who are masters in the sky but have really bad landing gear!!! 😉
Beautiful!! I love Pelicans.
I <3 my friends who <3 pelicans!
I’ve got a couple good pics of them! Love them!!
I <3 my friends who <3 pelicans!
I particuarly like the first photo. They look so calm and confident, just sailing through the air.
That is such a good descriptor Liz. They are calm and confident birds. Happy New Year to you and yours Liz.
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They are such beautiful creatures who are certainly smarter than we are most of the time. Outstanding shots of these birds. Hope you had a merry Christmas and wishing you the happiest of new years.
We are not too swift, too much of the time!! Happy Healthy New Year to you Marlene. I look forward to sharing another year with you my friend.
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Beautiful photos of amazing birds.
Thanks so much & take good care დ
Cindy, these are fantastic! The vibrant color in the pelican photos is stunning!
I am so glad you enjoyed them!! Thank you very much & cheers to you დ
Your very sharp photo brings out the detail in the designs of the pelicans’ feathers. So beautiful.
Thanks for taking the time to see! And to let me know. Cheers to you.
My pleasure, Cindy.
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Amazing! Wishing you a beautiful new year, Cindy!
Thanks so much Happiest & Healthiest New Year to you Jo! დდ
Wonderful photos! Thanks for sharing these and brightening our days with pelican awesomeness 🙂
Awww……Thank you for brightening my day with your wonderful comment! დ
Until I was 11 years old, I was able to live next to a beach in Peru and the pelicans were the inescapable company because it was a fishing port. Their formations were like an army on the march when they came to the beach in search of food. Your incredible photos have brought back these memories. Greetings Cindy.
The close up shots in this post are Peruvian Pelicans taken in the coastal town of Coquimbo Chile. I have seen and photographed Peruvian Pelican in gorgeous Peru as well. Peruvian Pelicans are the King of pelicans. They are so richly colored. So brave. They are almost as tall as I am and not the least bit intimidated. I love them and your beautiful memories of wonderful Peru. We had been many times and hope to visit again soon. Happy New Year my friend დ
I’m glad you have good memories of Peru. Greetings Cindy.
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Lovely Shots. 🙂
Thanks you my friend. Much appreciated & Happy New Year! დ
Wow! They always make me smile. Thank for sharing these entertaining birds Cindy. 💕
Happy you smiled Val. They are smile inducing creatures! 😉
Wonderfull, Cindy! Thanks for sharing…
Thanks more for appreciating Bette & Happy New Year!
Ja. Vor allem viele Wasservögel sehen Dinosauriern sehr ähnlich.
A lot of animals can cooperate much more better than the humans…
Love Pelicans! <3
Have a good week, and stay safe, dear Cindy!
Yes. We can learn some manners by watching the wild ones! Stay and well my friend.
Beautiful photos, Cindy! They are so pretty when aloft.
They are aren’t they. They soar and glide. Thank you John & cheers!
Man sieht deutlich, dass sie von den Dinosauriern abstammen 😉
Ja. Vor allem viele Wasservögel sehen Dinosauriern sehr ähnlich.
Example of coordination for sure.
Some creatures do this very well!
Cindy, the pictures are gorgeous. The last one particularly. Happy New Year!
Thanks so much! Happiest New Year to you and yours!
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Wow!!! It’s. Gorgeous. Thanks for sharing. ❣️❣️ Happy New year to you and your family. 😍😍
Thank you!! And Happy New Year to you and yours!
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Love your truism packaged in avian beauty, Cindy (plus a cute joke)! 🐤💜 Hope you had a relaxing holiday!
Smiling. Thank you Teresa. I am happy you enjoyed. I hope you have a Happy & Healthy New Year my friend!
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Such beautiful photos and sentiment. Thank you, Cindy.
Thank you more for all you do, and for your thoughtful appreciation Tracy.
If only humans were as in sync as nature! 😀
Happy New Year to you and yours, Cindy! 🙂
Happy & Healthy New Years Felicia!
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Wow, the closeup on the beak was fantastic. The size is unreal. Beautiful photos. Happy holidays to you and yours Cindy. <3
Happy & Healthy New Years my friend. I look forward to sharing another year with you!
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Love the red eyes!
Happy you do. Aren’t they awesome!
Just like the Canadian geese in my state of Michigan 🙂
Yes indeed. Birds flying in formation are a beauteous sight.
Superb pictures, Cindy! 🙂
Thanks so much my friend, much appreciated.
Incredible photography Cindy! Beautiful! I loved watching the pelicans fly when I lived in Florida…
Thank you very much. I have loved watching pelicans fly in Florida too! It’s a small world.
Yes, quite impressive they are. You’re very welcome Cindy.
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Great shots. Pelicans are so much fun to watch.
Grazie mille!
Beautiful photos, Cindy! I loved watching squadrons of pelicans flying in formation when I visited NorCal many years ago. In terms of cooperation, we humans could learn a thing or two from them. <3
Thanks much Eliza. The second photo is this series was taken in Sausalito is NorCal. We certainly have much to learn from the wild ones!
Stunning pictures, marvelous colors , love this beautiful species which are more disciplined and nature’s pride . Thank you for an another fantastical post C K 💖💯🙏🌻🌷
Your very kind comments made me smile! Thank you my friend & cheers to you!
Wonderful.
Thank you Gigi! I look forward to another virtual year with you my friend. Happy & Healthy New Year!
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Such gorgeous photos, Cindy! Thank you for this very lovely post. 🙂
Awww, thank you more Lynette for your very kind appreciation!
Awesome post Cindy. I always love Pelicans.
I <3 people who <3 pelicans! Thank you Seyi & cheers to you დ
We are on the flight path for the white pelicans’ migration. They remind me of silent blimps floating above us.
How magical this must be!! I would love to see it.
What a day it must have been, bright, breezy under the winter sunshine looking at these winter birds. Beaut, dear Cindy. My wishes to you.
Narayan x
Your kind comment makes me smile my friend. Thank you very much and take good care my friend. Happiest & Healthiest New Year to you! დ
Lovely images of Pelicans!
Merci beaucoup mon ami Amy დ
I’ve seen Eagles doing the same thing Cindy. The breeze comes off the water and is diverted upwards by the shoreline, giving uplift for our fine feathered friends! Many birds travel this way, saves on fuel!
They do. They are smart. They cooperate, save energy and succeed in ways they could not alone. Happy New Year Wayne დ
Happy New and Better Year to you Cindy!
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Beautiful!
Grazie mille დ
Ahh and the pelican says, “Yes I can fly! I’m PeliCan not PeliCan’t and I need no pelichute.” Lol! Awesome my friend as always! (•‾⌣‾•)و ̑̑❤️❤️❤️
” I need no pelichut” Priceless!! Smiling….. Happiest New Year to you my friend დდ
Happy New Year to you and yours, my friend! Stay safe & stay amazing! (♡ ὅ ◡ ὅ )ʃ❤️❤️❤️
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I love watching pelicans fly! Thanks for the reminder. 🙂
You are most welcome Frank & Happy New Year my friend დ
Because of you, people can see every detail of this bird, just as if they were side by side. What a beautiful bird. Thank you, Cindy!
Awww……. Thank you Jennie! You make me happy I posted. Take good care my friend დ
Pelicans were a happy part of my growing up years in Florida. But I never knew about their protective instincts of cooperation. Thanks for sharing.
Don’t you love how nature is already able to teach us something new! Happy you enjoyed them Dor & Happy New Year! დ
You do wonders, Cindy. Thank you my friend.
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A magnificent collection, Cindy. There is freedom in flight!
Thank you Rebecca. I would love to be so free! დ
Cindy, wondrous commentary on cooperation. Naturally, the birds can give us a lesson we need today.
During my morning walks I listen for the sounds of the geese flying in formation as they migrate for the winter. I just love it when I hear them, and I wonder whether they follow the same rules your pelicans do with changing positions in flight? Makes sense.
I used to hear them every morning with large groups, but now it seems there are only a few stragglers…but even a group of six flies in formation. Amazing creatures.
Hope your twin boys love the birds as much as you do!
Your morning walks sound magical Sheila. I would love to hear and see your geese. So much is being learned about how/why birds fly in formation, how they navigate thousands of miles, and how they can fly so far and survive. It is all so complex and fascinating. The twins are learning the names of all The Holler birds and wait by the French doors in the mornings for the roadrunner to come stare them down! Happy & Healthy New Year to you and yours Sheila დდ
The twins sound magical!!! We have had Covid rob us of our family time this Christmas as it has so many other families for the past two years. It gets closer and closer with each wave until it finally strikes our hearts.
Happy and Healthy Safe New year to you and yours, too!
I am so sorry to hear this Sheila. Is everyone in your family okay? Sending love to all of you. <3 <3
Oh, Cindy…I’m afraid not. These have been trying times for us for the last week – our son and daughter-in-law have been sick with the virus for over a week, and our little Ella got it this week. Needless to say, we have been devastated. Our son has had 3 negative tests this week but our daughter-in-law and Ella remain ill. We took food to them last night – they have put a little stool outside the kitchen window where we can leave things and talk to them through the window. Ella was in good spirits – as she always is – but doesn’t understand why we can’t visit. As my grandfather used to say, Hard times done came upon us.
But we have to hope all will be well. Pretty and I tested twice and have been negative both times. Neither of us has symptoms. Thank you for asking and for your loving support.
Oh no! I am so sorry. So scary for all of you. I am so afraid for the younger children who are not qualified for vaccination. You must be so too. You know my twin grandsons are the same age and in the same situation. I am frustrated that our policy makers are ignoring the youngest amongst us who are so vulnerable due to immature immune systems. I hear more of the little ones are getting sick now with omicron. I am so glad you and Pretty have been spared. My thoughts and hopes are with all of you. If everybody is hanging in there after a week, that is very hopeful and good news, as is the fact that your son is recovering. So VERY sorry Sheila. This is going to be happening to lots of families over the next two months.
beautiful photos. They look like a fighter squadron.
And they have ammo!!! 🙂 🙂
Locked and loaded.
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Yes, we could do a much better job of flying in formation and cooperating, for sure!
We certainly could დ
Cindy, what a glorious set of photos. It seems impossible that they could fly with that huge beak out front, but nature seems to have it figured out. Happy new year.
It does seem incredible doesn’t it. Nature never ceases to amaze. Happiest New Year to you my friend and thanks for stopping by დ
My dad was part of the recovery team of the Aleutian Canada Goose (now called the Aleutian Cackling Goose)—a subspecies of the familiar Canada Goose. I’ve read that geese also switch positions as the lead goose has to work the hardest. They fly from the Aleutian Islands (Alaska) to the Central Valley of California and sometimes to Mexico during migration.
What a very cool Dad! I imagine you have some wonderful memories of trips with him. Bird migrations are simply incredible and so complex. We are only just beginning to understand all the complex interplay of factors that enable to carry out these amazing feats every year. Birds are incredible and I love the name Cackling Goose! So descriptive დ
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Cheers to you & thank you too!! დ
A splendid photo story
You are a kind friend Derrick. Happy New Year to you and yours! დ
Reciprocated, Cindy.
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Beautiful photos, and a good reminder too.
Merci beaucoup mon ami დ
Looking at one close, the bird is more majestic than I imagined them before. Great pictures of them flying in formation and some even close to see details. I loved watching them fly in formation when I lived down in Fl.
I have seen the Florida pelis in formation too. Beautiful sight. Hope you Have an Awesome New Year my friend დ
Amazing! Not their flying formation but your fantastic shots!
Ahhh….. so thoughtful and so appreciated. Cheers to you დ
I love pelis, they always look so pleased with themselves.
YES!! They do! They look like they are smiling 🙂 🙂
Gorgeous pelicans, love their stunning coloring and eye! Great flight shots too with the beautiful coastline!! I love watching them glide along the beach and waves. 😊
Thank you Donna. Watching pelicans soar is good for one’s blood pressure! 🙂
Thanks for the beautiful images of the pelicans coasting along the ocean, Cindy. Makes me want to take a beach vacation. Maybe we can learn from them to cooperate!
Happy you enjoyed the birdies Brad & Happy and Healthy New Year to you my friend დ
Thank you Cindy. Happy New Year!
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These are fantastic pictures, Cindy! Thanks for sharing them and Happy New Year!
So nice of you and so appreciated too! Happy New Year to you დ
Wow!!!
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✨❄⛄🎄🥂🕊💖🕊🥂🎄⛄❄✨
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Wonderful! I’ve never seen pelicans in the wild. The best I can do is St. James ‘ Park in London, so to see them in flight is magnificent. Thank you!
The last time I was in St James Park, I had just returned from self driving South Africa. I toured the park, photographed a fox family stalking and playing, African Geese resting, and Egyptian Pelicans (that were a gift to a former King) swimming. I had this eerie and true sense I was still on safari in Central London!!
You had some luck there! A wildlife safari indeed!
<3 <3
Absolutely wonderful!
Ahhh…….so appreciated. Thank you very much დ
Awww….a fine example of peace on earth ☮️🙏
Agreed. We need more peace on this earth! დ
It was always a delight to watch the pelicans fly when we were in Mexico! Your captures and words are beautiful (and made me smile!).
Your kind comment makes me smile. I am happy you experienced and enjoyed the pelicans in Mexico. Cheers to you დ
Thank you and hope you have a very happy new year!
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Love the pics and the message of cooperation. Thanks Cindy!
Thank you more for your very kind appreciation.
One of the treats of spending time at the NC beaches is watching the pelicans fly overhead. So primitive in their appearance – but we especially like to see them diving for food off the beach.
It is incredible to watch how skillfully they dive vertically into the sea and come out with lunch!! Happy you are able to experience this & cheer to you.
Cindy, thank you for these wonderful photographs!
You are most welcome Charles. I hope you Have A Healthy & Happy New Year my friend.
Beautiful portraits of these pelicans, Cindy!
Honored you think so. Thank you very much Lavinia.
The B-52s of birddom. Good flyover!
Just don’t annoy them or they may let their ammo loose on you! I ‘ve seen them do this!!
I’m becoming convinced that animals of all kinds are higher on the evolutionary scale!
I hear you and know Exactly what you mean!
And I expect the ones in the back grow tired of looking at tail feathers, don’t they?!?
Laughing…… I hadn’t thought of that!!! 😉
Ever heard of “ground effect”? Pelicans use it to help glide just above the water. Precision flying there. Nice!
How amazing. Thanks for teaching me something new!
Cindy, what a beautiful collection of photos. Pelicans are my favourite bird and you have showcased them beautifully. Thanks for sharing.
How lovely that pelis are your fav’s! I <3 my friends who <3 pelis!
Nice post
Grazie mille!
What incredible birds and wonderful images. They don’t look like should be able to fly but they clearly do! Happy 2022 to you Cindy.
They are a puzzle aren’t they. They look so odd, but are such amazing precision flyers and spectacular when they dive vertically into the sea and come up with a fish! Happy New Year Emma.
Superb set of photos. Do Pelicans make a sound as they fly?
Yes. There is the sounds of their wings which can be loud and their calls which can be also. Here are some samples:
Very nice close up of the bird!! They look peaceful flying in formation.
The second photo is my favorite where they look like rockets.
The wind flattens their tummies!!! They do look like rockets.
Love the look of their faces… so serious, determined, yet goofy too. Animals bring us joy. 😃
They are rather comically serious aren’t they! And you are so right. Animals are a total joy <3
It is surprise for me forever – how can they fly? They are looking funny in the flight, however they are flying!
Happy New Year!
They are miracles of nature!!! Happy New Year Alexander.
Stunning photos, Cindy. Was the boy lower left photo #5 waving to the birds?
They look too heavy to fly, certainly to glide with winds folded.
Yes, they do look too heavy, don’t they. The wonder lies in how they are able fly, and fish, so easily. Wishing only things good for you and your hubby in 2022 Charlotte დდ
Thank you Cindy the same good wishes to you and all your lovely family 🤗
The World and it’s people can learn a lot from the Pelicans. Beautiful post.
That last photo especially 🙂
Pelicans in flight are so awe-inspiring Cindy. I love your closeups too. Hugs on the wing.
Hugs & Happy New Year flying back to you Teagan დ