Steve Wheeler
07-01-2008, 07:39 PM
First let me say it was a GREAT idea to include this area of discussion... Well done... BPN strikes again! Secondly thank you to <!-- BEGIN TEMPLATE: forumhome_moderator -->John Chardine (http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/member.php?u=2738) for moderating and helping us understand our feathered friends a little bit better.
We have a small flock (60-70 birds) of American White Pelicans that winter at a lake here in Dallas. I spent a good deal of time with them on the weekends while they were here this season. Dunno if it makes a difference, but most of that was either in the early morning or late afternoon / early evening. This day I happened to be there in the afternoon and as usual they would take a little bath after landing and before heading to the shore to preen/nap. The baths consisted of the typical head dunk followed by washing water over their bodies.
This day was different however in that after that bath they would flap their wings and SLAP THE TAR out of the water! Made a lot of racket in the process too! It was really something to see (and hear). In all the hours I'd spent watching and photographing them I'd never seen this behavior and have always been curious what it was they were doing.
Just a little more "Rigorous Bathing" than normal?
Where they trying to dislodge parasites?
Some social aspect?
Whatever it was they looked like they were having fun doing it!
Any thoughts?
Steve
<!-- END TEMPLATE: forumhome_moderator -->
We have a small flock (60-70 birds) of American White Pelicans that winter at a lake here in Dallas. I spent a good deal of time with them on the weekends while they were here this season. Dunno if it makes a difference, but most of that was either in the early morning or late afternoon / early evening. This day I happened to be there in the afternoon and as usual they would take a little bath after landing and before heading to the shore to preen/nap. The baths consisted of the typical head dunk followed by washing water over their bodies.
This day was different however in that after that bath they would flap their wings and SLAP THE TAR out of the water! Made a lot of racket in the process too! It was really something to see (and hear). In all the hours I'd spent watching and photographing them I'd never seen this behavior and have always been curious what it was they were doing.
Just a little more "Rigorous Bathing" than normal?
Where they trying to dislodge parasites?
Some social aspect?
Whatever it was they looked like they were having fun doing it!
Any thoughts?
Steve
<!-- END TEMPLATE: forumhome_moderator -->