White Pels in battle mode (lots of pics)

[Commodorefirst]

Finally, sun! Was able to get out for a couple of hours yesterday, and the migrating pelicans were at the Riverlands, and close to shore due to the flooding, so some nice photo ops occurred.

Most were with the 500VR and D300, some with my buddy Tim O's 2X III, and on most since I was shooting in high hard light and sun, I used the polarizer on the lens. I like dark blue water against the pels, just a personal choice.

Most of the time I shot aperture with -.7 or -.3 ev applied, and varied the aperture all over the place for different dof. Not to much post work, cropping, tiny levels work and global sharpening, no bush sharpening on these,

The group shot, all in a row fishing,

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Yes, trust me, I am sure I saw some big fish down here, see them?
(love the "butt" shots they produce in unison)

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Close up at 1000mm with the 2xIII, they were sure intent on their activities.

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One of my favorite group shots of the day (back to 500mm)

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Flight shots:

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And the battle pics, when a pel was fortunate (or perhaps unfortunate) to land a big one and have problems swallowing it quickly, the group turned on the pelican and grabbed them around the neck to keep them from swallowing the fish, and they grouped up and ganged up and basically bullied and shoved him way under the water trying to get to the fish. Brutal, and reminded me of some of our youth "activities" at work! Others would fly over and join the fray adding even more birds on the gang attack,

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Thanks for looking, so glad to actually get out and shoot some Pels.

 

[Louis Champan]

Excellent series Wade, you've captured some great moments in this set. Well done.

 

[keith5523]

Excellent series and storyline, Wade. Never knew that about them fighting amongst themselves. Good stuff.

 

[sla12]

What a great set and explanations, Wade. Well done.

 

[Commodorefirst]

Excellent series Wade, you've captured some great moments in this set. Well done.

Thanks Louis,

 

[Commodorefirst]

Excellent series and storyline, Wade. Never knew that about them fighting amongst themselves. Good stuff.

I have seen them attacking other birds and gulls in particular, once in a while I have seen a couple going after each other over a fish in between, but this was the first ultra aggressive gang activity I have ever seen, and I have taken many many thousands of photos of them through the years.

What a great set and explanations, Wade. Well done.

thanks, and you are welcome, I wish I would have stayed a touch later for even better light, but had to get home.

 

[redknight]

Fantastic pics! I only wish I could have gotten closer to the ones here before they left this morning. Your pictures are amazing! And..... brutal. LOL

 

[cajun angel]

WOW! Talk about magazine quality! You certainly caught the action, great lighting, and I had to wash my screen from the water spray - well done!

 

[Commodorefirst]

Fantastic pics! I only wish I could have gotten closer to the ones here before they left this morning. Your pictures are amazing! And..... brutal. LOL

Yours are gone already? wowser, and thanks for the kind comments, brutal is right!

WOW! Talk about magazine quality! You certainly caught the action, great lighting, and I had to wash my screen from the water spray - well done!

Thanks Dianne, appreciate your words very much.

 

[redknight]

Yeah, they left the next morning. Only four stayed until the afternoon. I was up in Warsaw today, and saw pels below Truman dam.

 

[Slingher]

Awesome series! Very dramatic. A pleasure to look at.

 

[Commodorefirst]

Yeah, they left the next morning. Only four stayed until the afternoon. I was up in Warsaw today, and saw pels below Truman dam.

good luck with those

Awesome series! Very dramatic. A pleasure to look at.

Thanks, appreciate the comment.

 

[Tim O]

Nice job on these Wade! I will post a few soon. As always it was a pleasure to spend the day out with ya:smile:

 

[Jason]

Its been hard for us 3 to hook up lately...we need to remedy that real soon! Super action shots here Wade. I hope they gorge themselves on the Asian Carp...every last one of them!

 

[Commodorefirst]

Nice job on these Wade! I will post a few soon. As always it was a pleasure to spend the day out with ya:smile:

Still waiting on your pics Tim! ( I bet he is having a hard time deciding between his 300-400 keepers!)

Its been hard for us 3 to hook up lately...we need to remedy that real soon! Super action shots here Wade. I hope they gorge themselves on the Asian Carp...every last one of them!

Yes, the river has certainly changed in 15 years, I used to fish all the time on the big Mississippi, for bass, big cats, etc. etc. never saw Asian carp one, now, it is dangerous without a helmet.

 

[Terri French]

I'm so glad I got to see these. I love the blue water against the pelicans, too. We don't have a lot of pelicans around here, but when I occasionally get to see one, it is a real treat. These photos are just perfect.....really stunning.

 

[Randy]

as good as they can be Wade

 

[RKnecht]

Wow Wade, what a great series. The story was a nice addition. Wonderful job on exposure.

 

[Commodorefirst]

I'm so glad I got to see these. I love the blue water against the pelicans, too. We don't have a lot of pelicans around here, but when I occasionally get to see one, it is a real treat. These photos are just perfect.....really stunning.

Thanks so much Terri, appreciate the kind words.

as good as they can be Wade

thanks Randy, I do like this 500VR

Wow Wade, what a great series. The story was a nice addition. Wonderful job on exposure.

Thanks, appreciate the note.