![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGm5msU4YQKS_zRVDD3Lq2HwHpibH_1bWhzxZP0NMyF5nwKZmkMu7o4djtKL3bUY9mHzskC1Swb5CWgu2Mi53W0BKoSDayh-4I9dKt431HDB3Rgd_XeMkrzaHNf_WQSi97PEaUaVrGlTs/s640/DSC04278.jpg)
Since the Pelicans do not frequently occur at the GWR, I would've expected them to move on pretty soon, but they've been around for a while now, and when I saw them they were acting like they owned the place. These guys must be like the Pelican puritans that left Tres Rios and all of its squalid hedonism to establish a pelicaniform city on a hill out in Gilbert.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihDNG1u3KRhuVoLfuHy3DW2C-L9A2rksFWpcMXhFpDtGhhgXMzc3Qp3LZ6YMhin0a9boJd7q5OhyphenhyphenLtyz65WdIxiJqT0hp5F83Zog_Od7C-OAPFno0N9GERxz7RLA-Or3B5SA3AgT5W-RA/s640/DSC04291.jpg)
Watching these fissiparous birds feeding is great fun. Coastal Pelicans like to dramatically dive-bomb their meals, which always makes for a great show. These Pelicans were not quite as energetic, and instead would just kinda swim around the ponds, then stop, then slowly and with great lassitude, face- plant into the water.
They'd just lay there for a minute, enjoying the experience and no doubt meeting my gaze without the slightest hint of embarrassment at being seen in such a state. Slowly that throat pouch would fill up, and then when it had reached a appropriate capacity, the Pelican would raise its head and strain everything out.
Sometimes, after I've been slouching for a while and/or eating lots of greasy bread-type food, I feel like I have a few rings of chins or a big throat pouch hanging off my face.
Thank you, American White Pelican, for giving me better perspective.
P.S. I would much rather have these birds delivering babies than Storks. Thoughts?