Jerry Biddlecom
April 2026 - Pelican
Original
About the Image(s)
There's a beach area at the tip of Marco Island, Florida (near Naples), that is a popular gathering spot for birders and photographers, which is not all that widely known outside the immediate area. This spot is known as Tigertail Beach and is home to a large variety of shore birds, including spoonbills, egrets, ospreys, ibises, herons, and skimmers, among others. This image captured a pelican flying by searching for its next meal. There was plenty of lighting so I could employ a high shutter speed with a low ISO number. Taken with my Nikon D500 using a Nikon 70-300 mm lens combined with a 1.4 crop factor. Edited first in Camera Raw and then finished in Photoshop 6.
4 comments posted
Very sharp and good contrast. White Pelicans are back in Wisconsin but yet to capture one yet, hopefully, I will be fortunate as you. Posted: 04/07/2026 13:56:47
Jerry. Pelicans are such charismatic birds, we can't help smiling - especially Brown Pelicans which you see in many US coastal areas and I saw last week off Costa Rica and in the few days we had within the Caribbean. Your image shows their character very well with good detail and colours. Lovely. Posted: 04/08/2026 21:16:45
Hi Jerry,
You've managed very well to capture this pelican in flight, with great detail and strong contrast against the blue sky. I really like the clarity and sharpness in the pelican's eye, as well as the position of the wings. Posted: 04/14/2026 20:28:11
You've managed very well to capture this pelican in flight, with great detail and strong contrast against the blue sky. I really like the clarity and sharpness in the pelican's eye, as well as the position of the wings. Posted: 04/14/2026 20:28:11
Brown pelicans in breeding plumage are quite colorful, and you've done a nice job of bringing out those colors.
Nice eye contact engages the viewer. The wing pose lets us see both under and upper sides, and I like that the tail is visible behind the near wing as well.
Lots of light is definitely helpful with flight shots! Posted: 04/16/2026 16:54:43
Nice eye contact engages the viewer. The wing pose lets us see both under and upper sides, and I like that the tail is visible behind the near wing as well.
Lots of light is definitely helpful with flight shots! Posted: 04/16/2026 16:54:43