Pelican in Flight. California coastline. May, 15, 2010.© Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.
A solo pelican in flight about the Pacific Ocean coast of California.
Last May I made one of my spontaneous drives over to the Pacific coast – a 30-45 minute drive from my location in Silicon Valley – and ended up engaging in my idea of sport, “hunting” pelicans with my camera and a long lens. I know a few places where the “pelican highway” passes along a high coastal bluff where I presume that the birds can coast on updrafts caused by onshore winds rising from the water. In one or two spots I can consistently find the birds passing very close to the edge of the bluffs, and it is often just a matter of waiting a while to see them fly past at very close distances. This bird came by a bit lower than some and instead of presenting itself against the more typical backdrop of the horizon and sky, this one gave me an overhead view with the surface of the Pacific as the background.
This photograph is not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.
G Dan Mitchell Photography
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A terrific photo, almost 3D, and naturally so.
The Pelican was sure not camera shy….
It almost seems that the Pelican was still for you
To take this shot….
Great Shot, Guy