COLLECTIVE EFFORTS

American White Pelicans, Mississippi River, Lower Sabula Lake, Iowa

It was so nice to see some colors again after a gray and nasty cold day yesterday. It was a good Sunday for checking out spring migration of the birds along the Mississippi again.

I have never seen so many pelicans fishing together before. This squadron contained more than a hundred birds, with many more on the water around, but choices had to be made what to leave in the frame and what not. First it looked and sounded like they all were fighting for the fish but pretty soon it was clear that it was a well organized collective effort by these American White Pelicans, as you can see in the second picture. I don’t know who was in charge to give the command, but suddenly they all took off and flew across the water to a different spot and started all over hunting for fish again.

All photos: Nikon Z6II, Nikon NIKKOR Z 600 f/6.3 VR S, Nikon Z Teleconverter TC-1.4x.  @840 mm

2017 RETROSPECT / 7

American White Pelicans -----

The collective fishing efforts of the American White Pelicans at the Mississippi River are a subject I come back to photograph every summer and working with these majestic birds in great light is always rewarding. Their gentle movements seem to be very coordinated and sometimes it feels like they follow a choreography in their efforts to catch as much fish out of the river as possible. The photo leaves room for interpretation. Is the pelican in the back the one who guides the efforts? Or is it just a novice who needs still to learn how to catch fish? Who knows, but the gestures of this pod of pelicans tell the story about some serious fishing efforts just below lock & dam #11 in Dubuque, Iowa. The best time for quality light at this location is between mid and late afternoon, but don’t even bother if the sky is gray. Your picture may tell a different story if the blue of the sky is not reflected from the muddy waters of the big river...

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head, @ 600m, 1/1600s, F/8, ISO100