Esplanade Busy Bodies

The other morning when I was down at the Esplanade (which I apparently never posted about) the tide wasn't all the way in and that always leads to some busy bodies near the shore.

Just a fairly small patch of mud was keeping the Bar-tailed Godwits busy (I'm guessing I've identified it right, I just like taking photos). Well a couple of them busy, the rest were having some time at the Esplanade beauty parlor. 

This really seems to be pretty normal morning, well all day, routine. However I did spot something else happening in the background, much more interesting than preening birds. Mind you the fact that they can clean themselves with that long pointy beak is something amazing.

There in the back, closer to the mangroves but still in the shallows was a lone pelican.

I don't know what he had found but he was sure having a grand time finding it. By the way my use of he has nothing to do with whether this pelican is a he or she, a pelican just seems like a he to me.

He was keeping a watchful eye on whatever it was he was looking for.

And he was sticking very close to the shallows and wavelets.

 He would dip his head in sideways, staying fairly flat to the water.

or leave it wide open for the water to go through.

Or he would paddle along watching, often beak open dragging in the water.

Then awkward looking dip and he had something.

Then down the hatch it went.

Those others busy beautifying weren't worried by what he was up to at all.

I'm not sure how much attention he was paying to where he was going.

Maybe he was following his food.

His feeding was interesting to watch. I've only seen them going deeper, head down like a duck, for food.

He drifted further and further down the Esplanade until he suddenly changed hi mind and headed a little deeper. It seemed he had finished for the time being. Funny fellow, all serene after his more clown like fishing.