The marvelous, prehistoric Brown Pelican. It spends its time diving into the waters of the world, scooping up fish with its long ponderous beak. For every dive however, there must be a return to the air. These pictures explore part of the laborious process that it takes to return these long winged wonders to the air.
Over the next few days I will be providing more views into the lives of these large sea faring birds, showing both the White Pelicans and the Browns at different times of the year and in different states- feeding, flying, swimming, and resting.
In the meantime, enjoy these images.
Brown Pelican beginning its slow deliberate take off
Once they burst from the water, they actually continue to slap both wide, webbed feet on the water for several more wing beats
And bit, by bit they rise
From a different angle the pelican begins its launch
Galen Leeds Photography 
An amazing bird the pelican, it’s beak can hold more than it’s belly can….
One of my favorite birds. Thanks Galen
I see what you mean, looking prehistoric. Fun to see/learn how they push off from the water to get into the air. I hear in your writing the love you have for what you see.
Thank you Sean
That prehistoric look of theirs always draws me in. It has mostly been through photographing them that I myself learned that they pushed off from the water to take off. Their are several other birds that use similar methods- many types of geese actually sort of run on the water, their feet hitting one at a time, instead of as a pair.
And yes, I do love what I find out there. This is a pretty magical world we find ourselves in.