February 7, 2008 - Pelicans put on a show12A- The Suffolk Times -February 7, 2008
This huge clam IS 1/2 inches wide by 3 1/2 inches deep) was found on a
sandy beach in Florida. How it got there we'll never know, but its size puts it
in a class all its own.
Suffolk limes photos by Barbara Stoutenburgh
The American white pelican stands four feet tall and has a wingspan of nine
feet. You can tell by the knobs on the upper part of the bill that it's time for
mating. The knob (its fancier name is nuptial tubercle) drops off when mating
is accomplished.
Pelicans put on a show
Everyone knows what a pelican is, but few realize
there are two different pelicans: the brown pelican
that sometimes strays up into our area and the white
pelican that is only seen down here in Florida, where
they come to spend the winter feeding in the bays
and shallows along the coast. We often see them
roosting on sandbars or other
low areas They feed by working
Focus the shallow waters with their
ON huge, naked, yellow pouches.
The white pelicans do not
NATURE feed like the brown pelicans we
see drop into the water from 70
by Paul feet to catch their prey; rather,
Stoutenburgh the movement of the white
pelican is more like a sweeping
net, scooping up small fish on
the surface as the pelican paddles along. Often we
see these large white birds working together, herd-
ing the small fish before them into shallow water.
Then, as they mill around together, there's a frenzy
of feeding, where everyone gets into the act, includ-
ing cormorants, gulls, terns — all diving and grabbing
whatever they can. It reminds one of a wolf pack
homing in on prey and then the coyotes, the magpies,
the vultures all come in to get their share. Just yester-
day we watched this cooperative effort being played
out right in front of us as white pelicans herded the
fish before them and other birds came in to get their
share.
Even though we've seen them many times diving,
the other day seemed extra special, for the wind was
right and the baitfish were in, and, dive after dive, the
brown pelicans would drop into the water like mis-
siles, creating a huge splash. We wanted desperately o
s Q_ -'
y-
i,
One of the great sights in Florida that never fails
to excite us is the dive of the brown pelican. From
70 feet in the air, the pelican spots its prey, then,
with wings folded back, drops into the water with
a huge splash.
QUALITY INSTALLATION & SERVICE
For Over 25 years • Serving The fast End
Residential & Commercial
Overhead Doors & Automatic Operators
CUSTOM WOOD • STEEL • VINYL
INSULATED - NON-INSULATED
FREE ESTIMATES
Emergency Service Radio Dispatched
All New MointenaaceFree
Carriage House Doors
Licensed & Insured
Sufff31668111 - Southomptoni L990136
Visit our showroom of 1500 W. Main St., Riverhead
631- 727 -4266
www.twinforiesdoors.com
record the explosions of spray and water as the birds
hit the surface, but never did get it just right.
Another day we stopped at the same beach to
see what birds were there. It's one of those beaches
that never fail to produce something of interest.
What caught our eyes was this lump about the size
of a hefty rock some distance away; this was one of
those beaches that are made of pure sand, not even
a pebble could be found. I put my binoculars on the
object and still couldn't make it out to be anything
recognizable. We'd just have to walk down there, as
our curiosity had taken over.
As we approached this lump, its shape revealed it
to be a huge chowder clam. When we got even closer
and picked it up, all we could say was, "Wow! Now
there's a clam that beats all clams!" Once again, our
knowledge of Florida's vast natural resources proved
that we had lots to learn about its wonders
We have big chowder clams at home, but none
could rival this giant. But how did it get on this
beach? Back home, gulls and other water birds dig
clams out of the sand by paddling their webbed feet
up and down until the clam becomes free. Then the
gull carries it to a hard surface such as a rocky beach,
a black- topped driveway, road, or even somebody's
roof might prove satisfactory for breaking open the
clam. (Are you with me, Floyd ?)
Of course, the system has worked well for them for
hundreds of years. They take their prize up about 50
feet and drop it, breaking the clam open and making
available the feast inside it. But this can only be done
with relatively small clams; surely no bird could carry
this monstrous clam, How it got there on that beach,
we'll never know, but it was fun speculating about it
and it made a nice chowder.
C q CONIC TELCO
Authorized SALES • SERVICE • INSTALLATION
AV/\V4\ Telephone Systems for Home or Business
Reselle •Specializing in Panasonic /Avaya (formerly Lucent)
Authorized Dealer - Voice Mail - Voice/Data Cabling
A - Friendly, Reliable Service
- Factory Trainer! Technicians
• Emergency Service
We Guarantee Savings on - Local/Long Distance Provider
your Verizon Telephone
Bill for your business "We don't treat your phone service like a hobby."
\, 734- 42001- 888- PECONIC