[Rob Barron]

Ok, so here's the scene: I was wondering through St James Park on a lovely summer's day last year with my precious wife for company. Looking around we took in the sights: changing of the guard, people sunbathing, lovely trees and the lake nearby and a pelican or two.... yup, pelicans! They were just wondering across the grass oblivious to the many watching eyes.

Me being me, I just grabbed my camera, got down on the ground and edged closer and closer to them. I struggled to get shots without people in them as they were surrounding the birds which made life awkward but I managed to get the odd shot without them. I cloned out a bit of a deckchair that was unavoidable.

The thing that happened next though was plain weird: this pelican opened his mouth.... nay, his head!.... and almost turned himself inside out. The shout you see here is not the full extent, at one point his head looked truly grotesque.... I am sparing you that one!

Anyway, no way are these technically perfect shots, just grabbed them as best I could with the limitations but thought you might like to see them.

Cheers,
Rob

[Angela]

Good grief!! I think I'm rather glad you spared us the next shot Rob!! They really are amazing creatures.

[namllihs]

Thats why it always pays to have your camera with you.
I like the fact that you have used a low viewpoint.

[Charlotte]

I like the fact that you spared us the next shot in the sequence ... although my curiosity is getting the better of me

[Dabhand16]

Originally Posted by namllihs

I like the fact that you have used a low viewpoint.

Having spent a great deal of my working life 4 mins walk from here, I can say confidently that Rob has found the very rare 15 foot tall pelican. It is probably the same one I saw returning from a night on the tiles across the park. I had stopped on the grass one fine Summer evening, and as I woke up - Jeeezee!! - there it was. a 15 foot high pelican. Until now I thought I must have been drunk, but you have retored my sanity Rob. Thanks.

[Rob Barron]

Sorry Graham, but I simply must confirm.... you were most definitely, 100%, positively.... DRUNK!

But then, so was I so i guess it can't be that bad eh? <g>

[cotter]

I read about these in the paper last year. You should have followed them with your camera Rob, see what happened next!!! ....might have got a few quid from your pics.....check link

Cotter




BBC NEWS | England | London | Pelican swallows pigeon in park

[Rob Barron]

Well, these pelicans are not unusual, they live there. Yes that story was well reported because one of the birds decided to have a change from fish and went for a pigeon instead but hey, nature does as nature does. We wouldn't bat an eyelid if the pelican came up from the lake with a fish in its mouth so who cares that it ate a pigeon, of which there are far too many in London anyway! To be honest, it would never have made any news stories if it wasn't for the photographer who happened to grab some shots so in that sense yes, it could have done anything I guess.

Frankly, with a beak that size and me not knowing whether his turning his face inside out was a cleaning mechanism or a warning I decided to err on the side of caution and assume it was a warning, one I was happy to take notice of