This Brown Pelican buzzed our boat on our way out to Bird Key Stono.
With a long steady swoop he caught up to us.
The local birds have learned that boats can mean scraps from fisherman/shrimpers.
He gave us the look then dropped into the water. Too bad for him that as bird watchers we had nothing for him.
June 2, 2022
Ted and I went on the same guided boat adventure as last year to see the juvenile Pelicans at Bird Key Stono Seabird Sanctuary. This trip was much earlier in the young birds’ lives as they are still in the nests.
These pictures are taken from a bobbing boat; I did learn from last year and upped my shutter speed to 1/1600.
There are thousands of birds on this island right now, and as you might expect there were always some in flight. The parents have to go for food, and swoop in and out constantly.
The chicks are still in the nests, which are collections of sticks/reeds, with the young being protected by an adult from the sun. As you can see in the center top a few are starting to move around.
Laughing Gulls are also nesting here and were flying all over, constantly chattering.
June 1, 2022
Bird Key, not much more than a sandbar, is a barrier island that sits in the mouth of the Stono River, between Kiawah and Folly Islands.
Bulls Island is an uninhabited 5000 acre barrier island off the coast of South Carolina with multiple ecosystems including maritime forest, fresh and brackish water impoundments and salt marsh.
April 3, 2022
Experts at riding air currents, Brown Pelicans are mesmerizing to watch.
This section of Shem Creek has piers on both sides that seemed to block the wind and the Pelicans stayed very close to the water.
Occasionally one would graze the water with just one wing.
There was a lot going on at Bird Key and it was hard to focus on just one bird. The boat was moving, many of the birds were moving and every which way, the water was moving…you get the idea.
I did follow this one Pelican flying along the shore, hoping to see him land.
He flew over another Pelican frolicking in the surf and past some Laughing Gulls.
The Pelican in the water started flapping like he was going to take off.
I’m not sure now if this was the flying bird settling into the water, or the flapper who just sunk back down for some more spa treatment from the surf.
Taken from a boat at Bird Key Stono Heritage Preserve
Between Kiawah Island and Folly Beach, SC
July 12, 2021
Hundreds of birds nested on Bird Key this summer and the land and sky were full of activity on this July day.
Most of the birds on land seen here are Brown Pelicans, the smaller white ones are chicks. The chicks were awkwardly walking, but not yet flying.  There were lots of Laughing Gulls that provided constant noise, and a few White Ibis mixed in.
On the outer edge of the island, the open Atlantic Ocean beyond, a sand bar has formed that was popular spot for preening.
Taken from a boat at Bird Key Stono Heritage Preserve
Between Kiawah Island and Folly Beach, SC
July 12, 2021
On our way out to Bird Key to see the Brown Pelican chicks we spotted several small groups of adults flying to sand bars.
According to our guide the adults assign a baby-sitter Pelican at the rookery then find a place to rest.
They certainly picked a beautiful, if sparse, location.
From a boat, Kiawah River, Charleston County, SC
July 12, 2021
These are a few more images of Brown Pelicans chicks showing the chicks interacting, very awkwardly.
Adult Brown Pelicans are somewhat awkward on land, and if you notice the feet you can see why.
As previously mentioned, I regret I didn’t use a higher shutter speed to offset some of the bobbing boat motion. The images are over-sharpened somewhat to try to make up for that, but I wanted to share them for the seldom seen chick behavior.
Taken from a boat at Bird Key Stono Heritage Preserve
Between Kiawah Island and Folly Beach, SC
July 12, 2021
Ted and I went on a guided boat adventure today that included watching juvenile Pelicans at Bird Key Stono Seabird Sanctuary, a significant nesting habitat for seabirds and shorebirds.
Taking pictures from a bobbing boat is a challenge and I regret I didn’t use a higher shutter speed. The chicks are very awkward walkers and not yet flying
Brown Pelican chicks feed a lot like the herons, with the young reaching down into the adult’s throat to get food, not the mouth pouch which is used to catch food.
Bird Key, not much more than a sandbar, is a barrier island that sits in the mouth of the Stono River, between Kiawah and Folly Islands.
I had been watching this Black Skimmer work his way around the inlets at Shem Creek at low tide.
I suspect he had a nest nearby as after this pass he took his catch out into the mouth of the creek…
… caught up to…
…and passed a Brown Pelican.
He disappeared from my sight. The Pelican stayed his course, gliding the whole time.
