It's Dougie Again

My 2 daughters got on a plane this morning to return to Michigan, but s-i-l Doug and grandson Merrick are here until Sunday.

While the girls left for the airport, me, Doug, and Lisa went to swim class. 17 of us, including 4 men. Billie Jo led us through 40 minutes of exercise, and it was a wet and wonderful celebration. (Her words, not mine.)

This afternoon, Doug and I went out picture-taking at a local boat ramp. The charter fishing boats come in, and the begging birds await. The pelicans wait in the water, but the egrets and herons have to depend on hand outs.

Doug gets the blip with the staring egret, and my pelican is in the extras,
My title is...To the Victor Goes the Spoils, although it doesn't apply here. You see, the charter captains filet their catch, and then throw the left-over skeleton to the pelicans. Most of the time it goes OK, but sometimes the bones get caught in the pelican's throat, and it can't dislodge it. If that happens, what's next? Sadly, if the bird doesn't get help...death.

The bird that I captured was going to be fine, but there was a bird behind this one that was really struggling with what he/she was trying to swallow.

So, what is the solution? Throw the small scraps to the big birds, but DO NOT throw them the bone-filled carcass. Either throw it beside the boat where they can't get it, or throw it into the garbage cans that are provided.

Pelican problem solved.