Pelicans A-Preening … and More

Saturday, 12 January
Fort Pickens Campground — Gulf Islands National Seashore (GINS), Florida
Temps: Lo 65F / Hi 72F (18C / 22C)

Woke up to a golden sunrise this morning … none of the pastel pinks and lavenders of yesterday.

We hurried through breakfast to get out there while the sun was still shining.  Didn’t quite make it, but the sun peeked through occasionally, so we’re not complaining.  Besides, the afternoon was filled with sunshine, making us a couple of happy campers.

We went our separate ways this morning — I strolled along Pensacola Bay … only 2½ miles (4 km) this time; Mui did a 10-mile (16 km) trike ride.  Then we joined forces at home, putting out the awning and enjoying the warm afternoon and light breeze until the late afternoon chill drove us inside.

Since it was a quiet day with not much to write about, I’ll just share some photos from my walk this morning and call it a day.

No mirror-smooth waters on the Bay today.

As the light changes, so does the colors and mood of Pensacola Bay.

We’re late … we’re late … for a very important date.
While these two willets were rushing off to find breakfast …

… this willet was patiently waiting at the edge of the surf for breakfast
to be delivered by the waves.

At least one of these willets isn't going hungry.  Can you see which one?

The small shorebirds were busy flitting about and weren’t about to stop and pose for me.  The pelicans, on the other hand, having had their fill of the bounty of the bay, were pretty relaxed, preening their feathers near the pier.  They were quite tolerant of my presence, allowing me to slowly approach and sit with them for a while.

All of these brown pelicans are juveniles …

… except for the one on the right, which is a non-breeding adult.
I have to admit that is my favorite photo from today’s stroll.

This Portuguese man o' war is not afraid to show its feminine side with a
fringe of pink frills along its sail.

On my way back to the loop E beach access, a cacophony attracted my attention.  Several hundred feet off shore there was a bird convention in the making.

All those tiny white dots out there that were raising such a ruckus …

turn out to be gulls (I think Bonaparte’s) keeping company with some loons Mergansers.

The gulls take off in a flurry of white, leaving the loons mergansers behind.
[thanks, Judy for the correction.]

26-second video of Willets feeding; with a snippet of the gull and
loon merganser convention at the end.
(My videographer was off triking, so you’ll have to excuse my amateurish efforts.)

And to show that it’s possible to capture wildlife photos from our campsite …

I heard this armadillo scratching around a tree behind our site.  It did not
cooperate for a photo op, but you can make out its head and ears if you look closely.
(Unlike the armadillo we came across the other day, this one stuck around for a
while, and even allowed me to approach within a reasonable distance.)

I found these visitors perched on the top edge of our wetbay door when I opened it.
I thought green tree frogs at first, but they seldom come down apparently except to
mate; so I’m not sure.  There were four of these tiny critters, but two of them hopped
away in the time it took me to get my camera.  the one on the left is today’s “The End” shot!