Happy festive season friends! We made it to December! At least the Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus) on our bird’s-eye view calendar says so.
The photo on your calendar was taken one early morning on Bribie Island, Queensland. I chose this photo because I love the sunrise in the background and the movement of the pelican. The wing is blurred bringing softness to the bird which contrasts with the rest of the in-focus body. I also love how the colour of the pelican’s bill almost matches the sunrise reflecting on the water.
My love of pelicans began much earlier than this photo. For me, they have always been symbolic of the beach and where my grandparents lived. I particularly remember having a disposable camera on a trip to Yamba, NSW in my teenage years and using the whole roll of film just on the pelicans at the jetty. Driving across the bridge to Bribie Island, it is not uncommon to see a pelican atop every light post on the way. I just find them to be a show-stopper! Absolutely magnificent in their stature and flight, and they have an elegance about them as they glide smoothly across the water, but they are also kind of clumsy and a bit weird (in a good way).
A “weird” and very cool fact is that pelicans have a throat pouch which acts a bit like a net to help them catch food. To empty the pouch, they draw it to their breast so it looks like they are turning their pouch inside out. Pelicans can also make their pouch ripple during courtship, and it changes colour along with their bill in breeding season. Want some more pelican facts? Check out this article by Australian Geographic.
Have you ever wondered why you have never seen a baby pelican on a beach? It is because they breed inland! It is a sight I hope to see one day, but in the meantime, have a look at this wonderful video in the Macaulay Library (which is connected to ebird). How cute are those little pelicans?!!
It is our last month together for the year, so I wanted to say thank you for following along and for bringing a bird’s-eye view calendar into your home. I hope to share more with you in the new year when our next bird’s-eye view calendar begins. Speaking of the 2025 calendar… have you got yours yet?! I have only a couple of left.
I am off to Tasmania soon, so orders and my Etsy Shop will close on December 15th, 2024 (re-opening 6th January, 2025). I wish you a lovely December, whatever you choose to do, and a Happy start to 2025! Thank you so much for your support throughout the year, it means the world to me.