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Winter in Paradise 4

Posted by
Viewfinder (Bradenton, FL, United States) on 8 February 2008 in Animal & Insect and Portfolio.

Ignore the horizon. An opportunistic gang of hungry pelicans begins to flock in the water and sky around where the hunting dolphins (see my last two posts) are swimming; their aim is to catch the fish stirred up by the dolphins (before the dolphins do). Anna Maria Island, 1/25/08. Close to home for me.

NIKON D80 1/500 second F/5.6 ISO 220 300 mm

Japanalia from Yokohama, Japan

At times like this.....I wish I were one of the pelicans in your image! What fun they have!

8 Feb 2008 5:26am

Michael Skorulski from Cigel, Slovakia

Beautiful birds. The shot has drama and action.

8 Feb 2008 7:14am

martie from Okinawa, Japan

Wonderful shot! I love how graceful these birds are in the air and when they fish!

8 Feb 2008 10:00am

Steven from Montreal, Canada

I really like the profile of the bird that is flowing towards the right, nice capture!

8 Feb 2008 10:23am

Lorraine from Gatineau, Canada

Birds, beach, sand...thank you :)

8 Feb 2008 10:48am

@Lorraine: U R welcome!

Chris from South Jersey, United States

Nice image - I love seeing these birds when we vacation in Virginia, but never have had the lens to capture them properly. You are so lucky to be so close to this beauty in the winter...

8 Feb 2008 12:09pm

Ronald from Heemskerk, Netherlands

Good action shot, like the color of the sea

8 Feb 2008 12:13pm

Man With 101 Names from Hamburg, United States

yeah the bird with the profile shot looks like he is flying away thinking "screw you guys I'm going home ! " :o)

8 Feb 2008 12:41pm

@Man With 101 Names: Ha-ha!

Helma from Tehran, Iran

Very nice shot ! beauty colors and good subject , thank you.

8 Feb 2008 1:03pm

Wolfgang Prigge from Granby, QC, Canada

Florida Air Force out in full action...

8 Feb 2008 2:18pm

@Wolfgang Prigge: This was only one squadron -- there were other little clusters of them all around, wherever the dolphins went.

Craiger from Vacaville, California, United States

It's a feeding frenzy :0)!

8 Feb 2008 2:52pm

@Craiger: They were wheeling around the sky and water almost like gulls.

Judy from Brooksville-Florida,, United States

I didn't get to see these last three until just now. I love the dolphin shots and here, your "Ignore the horizon" note! Of course the horizon was the first thing my eyes saw because the 'old sailor' in me reacts immediately, but instead, I smiled and then read your caption! :D

8 Feb 2008 2:56pm

@Judy: Ha-ha! This pic definitely suffers from "tilticus horizonticus" or some such thing. But the pic was of the pelicans, and they were moving quickly and my goal was to try to keep them level in the scene.

amy from Rocky Mountain House, Canada

Great action capture, VF!! I just love it... can't stop looking at it quite frankly.

8 Feb 2008 3:07pm

@amy: Can't stop looking? Well that nice compliment really makes my day! Thanks amy.

DaveB from Exeter, United Kingdom

Think It's be better with the pelicans centred in the shot, but still a nice one!

8 Feb 2008 3:36pm

@DaveB: Maybe so... but thanks. You might want to come down here sometime and take a shot at 'em yourself. ;o)

Photographs by M.E. from Encino, United States

FREEDOM! nice action shot!

8 Feb 2008 4:12pm

Stunner from Kingston, Jamaica

Lovely capture of these birds enjoying a splash!

8 Feb 2008 5:35pm

Reza from Montreal, Canada

Very nice shot. Well done.

8 Feb 2008 5:54pm

Steven from Chicagoland, United States

Beautiful capture with the pelicans in various states of "wing spread." They look so graceful for a bird I always thought was a bit clumsy. Thanks for sharing a "warm" shot!

8 Feb 2008 6:16pm

Wolfgang Prigge from Granby, QC, Canada

P.S.: I have this photo of the Florida Air Force taken from our campsite in Fort De Soto Park. The quality is not very good, it's a photo taken with a video camera, but it brings back beautiful memories nevertheless...

8 Feb 2008 6:28pm

@Wolfgang Prigge: What a really GREAT bunch of shots; I like your FAF shot and all the rest.

Michael Rawluk from Prince George, Canada

You live in a true paradise.

8 Feb 2008 10:05pm

MaryB from Staffordshire, United Kingdom

This is amazing, I can only imagine how wonderful would be to see these magnificent birds enjoying their feast.

9 Feb 2008 1:05am

bill from United States

thats a mighty long lens you have there!

9 Feb 2008 2:25am

Forouz from Bavaria, Germany

I love your BLUE OCEAN, needs more than 9 hours flying to reach it. :)

10 Feb 2008 9:18pm

NIKON D80
1/500 second
F/5.6
ISO 220
300 mm

pelicans