Peril at the Pole

I'm not exaggerating (well, maybe a little)...when I say that...over the years...I have seen this exchange at these same 2 poles...maybe 500 times. And...I've got hundreds of shots to prove it.

But...I've never EVER seen this. The bird on the pole ALWAYS moves. If you put it in LARGE (having link issues) ...and start in the top left corner...going clockwise...you can see that perhaps the seagull was so pre-occupied with its preening...that maybe he/she didn't hear, or sense...that the pelican was approaching. They aren't exactly like a tiny sparrow sneaking up on you. The result was a little frightening...complete with curdling cries from the caught-in-the-clutches gull.

As a pelican man...I like to think that the big bird wasn't trying to be a bully. They aren't the most graceful of birds...perhaps even the most clumsy. He didn't put the stomp on the gull...he just thought it would move. But...it sure looks bad...and it sounded worse.

Have a look at my FLICKR PAGE for a variety of other Florida shots. I hope the camera-shy crabs, and the slimy lizards don't give me nightmares. How many of those tiny crabs do you think it would take to make a meal?

75F today...but cloudy and windy. Still nice, tho.