Thanks for the extra info, Kenn
I think I"ll try to come to the OB later this winter then. I like off-season. (The holidays just got claimed by something else.) When the time comes, I'd be glad to be able to PM you for more info. I'm probably about 3-4 hours away, so within weekend striking distance.
The first time I saw pelicans was sailing south just off California. What never fails to get me is their diving style. I mean, it's like their design is the ultimate. They circle in the sky, somehow see their prey from way up there, then dive down on a perfect angle, homing in on a
moving fish. It's amazing, and they're like precison machines, all tucked in and streamlined. Then it's like it all comes apart at the last second, because they always hit the water with a big, clumsy "kersplash!" as if something went terribly awry at the end. But no, that's just how they do it
Seems to work just great. Still cracks me up though.