One Up, One Down

  Up and down, up and down.  It felt good to be on the pier once again after my bout with whatever ailed me.  Mark and I sat watching the hundreds of migratory birds that had filled the Bay during my absence. Cormorants and loons were bobbing about as they breakfasted on menhaden and shrimp.  Pelicans were making huge splashes in the water as they dove after little mullet and, of course, the ever present seagulls were making a huge racket as they begged for handouts.  In fact, while Mark fished, several times a seagull grabbed his bait and tried to fly away from the band of hungry birds.  Mark would have to yank his bait back out of the beak of the bird.  I was just thankful that no bird was hooked during these ordeals!

  It was two of the Brown Pelicans that actually amused me this morning.  The pair seemed to be working in tandem to catch their breakfast.  One would splash down into the water while the other was taking flight just feet from the point of impact.  This method seem to be working.  The confused menhaden and mullet were being scooped up in great quantities.  Both birds were fattening up for the wintertime when the fish might be scarce.  

  Last week, hundreds of White Pelicans visited the Bay then went on their merry way to the east.  Old timers around here used to be able to properly forecast the coming weather by observing the critters.  With all of the birds seemingly coming a bit early this year, I wonder if we are in for an early winter.  I guess I better get down to the wild persimmon tree to check the seeds.  That is my surefire way of predicting the weather!