Tag: suncoast seabird sanctuary

“I want more food” says the baby pelican.

On By dinajohnstonIn bird photography7 Comments

This mom has her hands full with 3 babies begging for food.

“Are you my parent? Then feed me.” This one looks really hungry. He probably knows the parent has fish in his pouch and it just waiting for him to burp it back up. Yum!

“I need some ketchup for your head.” Two older babies playing.

You can see the veins in the soft pink pouch.

The parent looks tired.

More baby pelicans at the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary. I got there as the parents were about to start feeding the babies. These are all pictures of some of the first-born ones this spring. They are all around a month old. There are still a few more that had just been born while I was there. Now that they are bigger and moving around it was fun to watch them. Most of the time they were begging to be fed. A few times some of them seemed to be playing. They grow up so fast.

Injured birds

On By dinajohnstonIn bird photography5 Comments

This is Stumpy (that’s what the volunteers call him). He guards the entrance to the sanctuary.

Stumpy lost a foot. He was treated here and released back in the wild but he still hangs around. He knows it’s the best restaurant in town for a pelican.

When I was leaving, I saw these two guys come in with an injured bird.

I did not find out what specifically happened. It looks like he had a severed wing. It could have been caught in fishing wire and when he tried to fly off it severed it? They must have called ahead because someone came out immediately to greet them and take the bird. Luckily for this bird, the guys saw the bird needed help and made the effort to save him. Then they drove the injured bird to the sanctuary from wherever they were when they found the bird. I’m glad the guys were looking out for it. I have a feeling this bird will be a permanent resident.

One of the workers at the sanctuary takes the bird, give him a quick look over and head into the hospital. This is a typical event for the team at the sanctuary. It’s weird to see them in action. Usually, you just see the birds in the rehab pens.

For more info on this bird hospital check out Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary.