Old Gus

Living on a bayou, I have the opportunity to befriend a lot of the birds and animals that live or just visit here. Sometimes, an unusual sort of trust starts to grow between us..maybe it just becomes apparent that neither of us wants to harm the other and a bond is formed. One of those friends, the Brown Pelican is more or less an icon of the bayou. It is rare that a day passes without a least seeing one..more likely than not, dozens can be spotted. Years ago, my dad nicknamed all Brown Pelicans "Old Gus". The name stuck and today we still talk about Old Gus. It matters not if it is the same bird ..it is still Old Gus! If it is a Brown Pelican..it has to be Old Gus! So..Old Gus and I are friends.

Brown Pelicans make themselves at home wherever there is plenty of fish. Watching them, you would think that they would not be well suited as anglers. They seem to be relatively clumsy as they waddle around on the pier on their short legs and big feet, but just watch them in action! I am in awe of the adeptness of this fisherman! Old Gus has a wingspread of more than six feet and can fly in a straight line just above the water for what seems like an eternity. When fishing it will fly a bit higher, spot a school of fish and then will dive to make its catch with its huge pouch. In the air and on the water their agility far outweighs their awkwardness that is apparent on land.

Little known fact~Pelicans incubate their eggs with their feet! Most birds use their breast skin to keep the eggs warm but pelicans use the webs of their feet to warm and turn the eggs. This habit almost led to their demise during the 1950s. Eating fish contaminated with DDT (pesticide) caused the shells of the eggs to thin. The eggs would break when the bird shuffled onto them.

There is a Brown Pelican that has taken up residency on the posts of our pier. Every night it roosts there waiting for sunrise. Old Gus seems to have no fear of me when I venture down the pier early in the morning. So far, it has kept its distance, but I do get the feeling that, if offered, it would accept a handout from my bait bucket! Old Gus waddles about ten feet in front of me always keeping an eye turned my way. Then, as soon as the sun starts to brighten the sky over the trees, it takes off. Fishing has begun! Up over the bayou..dive.. splash!...head up..drain the water..swallow breakfast! Up again and repeat! Then it seems as if there is a meeting of "The Order of Old Gus" to discuss the day's catch and swap fish tales. Sometimes up to a dozen will gather together for bit before this all starts again. I am glad Old Gus likes my pier..I just wish he would learn to clean up after himself!