He belongs to the Pelicanidae family

A pelican is a large water bird with a distinctive pouch under the beak, belonging to the bird family Pelecanidae.

Along with the darters, cormorants, gannets, boobies, frigatebirds, and tropicbirds, pelicans make up the order Pelecaniformes. Modern pelicans, of which there are eight species, are found on all continents except Antarctica. They occur mostly in warm regions, though breeding ranges reach 45° south (Australian Pelican, P. conspicillatus) and 60° North (American White Pelicans, P. erythrorhynchos, in western Canada). Birds of inland and coastal waters, they are absent from polar regions, the deep ocean, oceanic islands, and inland South America.

Pelicans are large birds with large pouched bills. The smallest is the Brown Pelican (P. occidentalis), small individuals of which can be as little as 2.75 kg (6 lb), 106 cm (42 in) long and can have a wingspan of as little as 1.83 m (6 ft). The largest is believed to be the Dalmatian Pelican (P. crispus), at up to 15 kg (33 lb), 183 cm (72 in) long, with a maximum wingspan of nearly 3.5 m (11.5 ft). The Australian Pelican has the longest bill of any bird.

Pelicans swim well with their short, strong legs and their feet with all four toes webbed (as in all birds placed in the order Pelecaniformes). The tail is short and square, with 20 to 24 feathers. The wings are long and have the unusually large number of 30 to 35 secondary flight feathers. A layer of special fibers deep in the breast muscles can hold the wings rigidly horizontal for gliding and soaring. Thus they can exploit thermals to commute over 150 km (100 miles) to feeding areas.

Pelicans rub the backs of their heads on their preen glands to pick up its oily secretion, which they transfer to their plumage to waterproof it.

Read and learn more about the Pelicans here

Hi my friends,

thank you very much for all the kind comments to my sunset photos from yesterday. I knew it you'll like them. It was indeed a breathtaking sunset!

Today I have a little post about pelican birds. We see them flying here in Florida at the coast and at the beaches, they are everywhere. They fly around in groups or there are also single ones, like this one in my photo today. I think he was a sort of recovering from probably broken legs, because he couldn't walk very well. That gave me the opportunity to get close enough to him to get this photo. He looks beautiful!

Looking forward to see you tomorrow again.

Susanne

CALENDARS 2010, do you still need one? I have some left for you....

Visiting a good old friend...

Michael Earney is a world known great artist and film maker and a sculptor and he is also a good old friend of David - my husband - back from the time when they both were living in California, in the 1970's. He showed us around in Port Aransas, Tx where he is living today. Check out also his website: http://www.earneyworks.com/bio.html

We went down to the Port to see dolphins jumping and the pelicans flying...

They had each other a lot to say since almost 35 years they have not seen each other in person again!

While the guys were chatting I tried to capture the dolphins swimming in the port

The dolphins were very fast disappearing into the water again

Michael is a voluntary worker for the ARK in Port Aransas. A very responsible dedication to help the endangered animals of the sea. Here we are in the Turtle House of the ARK, Michael was feeding some of the injured Turtles and checking also the water quality


The ARK

The University of Texas at Austin's Marine Science Institute (UTMSI) in Port Aransas, Texas, dedicated its new sea turtle building on 21 August 1999. The new ARK building came about as the result of some generous gifts from individuals and foundations. Most of the donations came from concerned Texans, but others came from as far afield as Boston and Bermuda. The leading light in garnering these gifts, was Edie McAllister of San Antonio and Port Aransas. Mrs. McAllister, a long-time member of the UTMSI Marine Science Advisory Council, was given a tour of the ARK three years ago on a typical hot South Texas summer day. She was concerned by the summertime problems faced by the animals of the ARK; namely the uncontrolled growth of algae and high water temperatures in the uncovered outside turtle tanks (conversely, in winter, water temperatures dip too low and inside tanks had to be found for the turtles each year). At first, the suggestion was to build some proper shade structures for the tanks, but soon, a kernel of an idea came that it might be possible to build a permanent and substantial facility designed specifically to house sea turtles and sea birds in need of rehabilitation. Mrs. McAllister was dogged in her determination to find funding for the ARK. That determination has now borne fruit and the ribbon-cutting at the ARK took place at 11:45am on Saturday, 21 August 1999.

Read more about here:
http://www.utmsi.utexas.edu/staff/amos/ark/ARKdedication.htm

One of the turtles was very nosy and interested in what I was doing with my camera, she/he came always back again over to me. Does'nt she looks pretty...? :)

There were outside also some pretty pelicans - with broken wings

And it seems they liked to show off their colors.

I will show you tomorrow more photos about very sick and injured Turtles in the Turtle Hospital in the ARK. Thank you Michael to show us a very interesting part out of your life - beside all your beautiful paintings and art works!

Hi my friends,

spontaniously we decided to stay 2 days longer in this beautiful place Port Aransas, in the South of Texas. I like it here very much, I could even imagine to live here, everything is so peaceful, it is nice warm and don't forget the pretty beach! We have enjoyed also very much to meet David's friend, Michael Earney again and having good conversations between artists together.

Thank you for all your kind comments and loyal visits to my last posts, my friends! Stay tuned, there will come more interesting stuff - we both enjoy our travels very much! :)

Susanne and David

Two days at the beach

Coming from Corpus Christi, you'll be entering the Islands, first Padre Island and then take a left to Mustang Island - that's what we did

This is our little RV enjoying beach life

We were not the only one parked out here, everywhere were also big buses to see. On Mustang Island and at Port Aransas is actually allowed to park RV's directly on the beach, even over night, if you have a permit from the city

The sound of the rolling waves were very loud - but it was beautiful to listen to the melody of the waves!

There is also all kind of life going on on a beach: kids are playing and looking for shells

Seagulls are flying close by - La Paloma blanca

Why do Pelicans fly in groups?

A close up shot to five of the "group members"

In Port Aransas you can watch the big oil tankers going out to the deep sea

Or the deep sea fishing boats coming back home to the harbor

Port Aransas is getting ready for next week starting spring breakers - thousands of students will probably overflow the island and this pretty little town and at the beach

Port Aransas, Texas

Beautiful beaches, vibrant views, relaxing retreats. Enjoy shimmering sunrises over the Texas Gulf Coast and serene evenings on the bay. Port Aransas is the premier vacation destination for beach, sun and family fun! Wiggle your toes in the sand! Reel in a redfish, captain a kayak, search for seashells, birdwatch, shop coastal stores and dine in island style restaurants. Our tranquil, tropical community boasts miles of natural beaches, gentle gulf breezes and just-right weather making our island a perfect, peaceful get away. Get close to the water and away from the crowds. Stay for a weekend or a week in choice accommodations -from quaint cottages to beachfront condos and RV parks to camp grounds. Visit Port Aransas on Mustang Island and enjoy the unspoiled beauty of Texas~Island Style!

We arrived in Key West - again!

After leaving Titusville FL and spending a night on a parking lot of a Wal-Mart in Florida-City, we arrived in the Florida Keys.
And this is now the breathtaking, turquoise color of the Gulf of Mexico in the Keys! Every time I see it it's more overwhelming for me - it is so beautiful and the colors are real my friends and no Photoshop at all! It IS that beautiful!!!

Driving over the Seven-Mile-Bridge is always very impressiv,
to the left the is the deep blue Atlantic and on the other site the turqouise blue
Gulf of Mexico.
To the right you can see some of the old Seven-Mile-Bridge.

After a 150 miles drive from the mainland you'll arrive in Key West and you will see this welcome sign entering the island.

And of course, our first stop was on Memorial Beach to "suck in" the beauty of this carribean island! :)

The next morning we got up early again to see the stunning sunrise in Key West. And we were not the only one there. As you can see it in the picture, there were some "love birds" already enjoying each other in the rising sunlight. :)

I know now how beautiful sunrises are!

Morning has broken.... what a beautiful morning!

And there were also "other birds" enjoying the warm sunbeams.

We are now visiting good old friends here in Key West, that's why I'm able to post some pictures again to share with you all the beauty. Thank you Susan (my best friend in Key West!) for your great hospitality!!

I will show you later maybe more photos about this little crazy island Key West - I did a lot of them....LOL... they will be good picture material for my next book. :)

All kind of Birds...

Portrait of a big white Heron bird

White Heron bird fishing - and he got one!

The pelican and his three body guards

Pelican waiting for food left overs from the fishing boats

And this one is just enjoying the warm sun on his back

Five things to do in Key West - Tour 4

Today we are visiting the wildlife of Key West. Yes, we have one...! Take your camera and follow me:

You will see the big white Heron bird fishing in the mangroves....

You will discover a typically - lazy - cat on Simonton Street....

You will meet the sophisticated cats - some with six toes - in the garden of Ernest Hemingway's house...

Please don't disturb this pelican at Mallory Square....

And you will be wondering why are all over and every where you go so many roosters and his chickens around you. Many, many, many years ago they used them for fights. No more today. Since then they are wild living and took over the island.

Sunday Morning Chat

Every morning at the same time and at the same spot it seems these four pelicans meet each other for the daily gossip - and some spa activities.

More Wildlife....

Big White Heron in Mangroves

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Pelican waiting for food

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Pelican Portrait

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Pelican & Seagulls

Pelican & 3 Seagulls

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This two pictures are made at Mallory Square. I like Pelicans!

Pelicane sind ueberall anzutreffen in Key West. Diese 2 habe ich am Mallory Square fotografiert.

Pelican & 1 Seagull

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11" x 14" - $ 35.00 Buy with PayPal

Larger sizes can be made on request

The Last Day In The Year 2006

HAPPY LANDING

IN 2007

I wish you all a very happy New Year!