Mark and I were out on the pier before dawn again this morning. After an incredible fishing day yesterday, we were hoping for a repeat performance. Mark caught the most beautiful bait, we cast our lines and waited. I caught two hardhead catfish and one garfftopsail but nothing else. Ugh, our fishing plans seemed to have been thwarted! So, instead of fishing, I started photographing the birds. Gulls, terns and pelicans filled the Bay and Bayou. They had come in for the relative safety that the area offered from the recent hurricane. Since the Bay also offered a sanctuary for fish from the thrashing surf, the seabirds decided to stick around a bit to catch their fill. The only problem was that our baits also seemed to be fair game for the birds. (We actually hooked a gull and a pelican and had to gently work the hooks out of their bills. Not fun for neither the birds nor us.)
At one point, their were so many birds around the pier, I nigh on got smacked! The gulls and terns became so engrossed in attacking our baits as we cast our lines that they ventured right above our heads. The birds were swooping down grabbing our hooked baits then taking off in a mad flight. As soon as one had a minnow, all of the other birds gave chase all the while squawking their fool heads off! The pelicans had to leave the school of mullet they were chasing just to get in on the act. Soon, these large birds were flying within a few feet of our heads then splash landing in the water after our minnows.
The swooping and swerving was not enough, though. The pelicans thought that they could take a rest on the pier posts! Not a bad idea except I was leaning against one post as I photographed the feeding frenzy! I looked up just in time to see two large webbed feet, two huge wings and a gigantic bill coming right toward me! I snapped a photograph and ducked! The pelican landed on the post, pivoted and took off again. I think the close call was unnerving to him, too!
This feeding frenzy was exacerbated by Mark pouring our excess bait back into the water. The birds thought that he was feeding them and it seemed as if every bird in the county found our pier! Great for photographs but dangerous for my head! There were several more near hits!
I truly feel for the folks who were (and still are) in the path of Hurricane Harvey. This storm was a rainmaker and has left behind so much damage. Here on the Bayou, we were blessed not to have been hammered by this storm. We did receive copious amounts of rain and, today, the wind has been blowing a gale but this is nothing compared to what could have been.
This afternoon as the winds continued, I took the dog out for a jaunty run. He is doing well and seems to enjoy the cooling breezes that come off the Bay. We usually make our way down to the pier but, this afternoon, I nixed that idea. I could see the confusion on his face as I called him back for another hike around the hillside. My intentions were not to deprive the old dog of his favorite place but to not disturb those already in place. The pier was being used by some little terns as they tried to weather out the storm. The birds were hunkered down and sittin' tight.
The little terns are usually in flight about the area but the stiff winds were a bit hard on their wings. They sought refuge on the piers and sat facing the winds. Storms are tough enough on wildlife without me intruding in their space. Instead of heading to the pier, Mr. PJ and I walked the hillside until another shower chased us inside. The birds did not have that luxury and had to sit in the downpour. Poor babies!
