26/08/2011

Pelican's morning at the jetty

We biked to the south jetty in Venice the other day. It's about 20 miles round-trip from where we're staying.


Mother Pelican at the jetty

Lucky us! A mother pelican and her baby
also decided to spend the morning at the jetty.

Mother Pelican and her baby

She sunned herself on the rocks as Baby P.
paddled around in the water in front of her.

Pelican Baby

 He still had that fuzzy baby look and was a total darling.
This is first time I've seen a baby pelican up close...

Mother Pelican watching her baby

...and the first time I've ever had a good look at a pelican's feet.

Mother Pelican's beautiful toenails

They are huge and rubbery flippery silvery blue.
And they have toenails, amazing toenails!
I did not know that pelicans had toenails...
...and such very cool toenails at that!

 On second thought.... those "toenails are probably considered claws, bird claws, she says blushing.

6 comments:

Roy said...

Good luck, Baby P! Enjoy the world, but watch out for fishhooks.

asha said...

Indeed.

Paula said...

Wow, very cool feets. Guess they need those so as not to slip and fall off the rocks. Evolution is so amazing.

Kimberlee said...

Have you ever seen a Pelican with a mouth full of food? It looks so weird and cool at the same time.

asha said...

Kimberlee, yes. The same day I took these photos of Baby P. and his mother I got a video of another pelican trying to swallow a fish he was holding in his throat. I'm sure he eventually got it down but it was a battle. I may post it later but the connection is too slow here to upload video.

Bob said...

They're darling things. Great pics!