Pelican perches of course.

Its officially winter here in Queensland. Endless blue skies and cool temperatures with Queenslanders dressed in UGG boots and heavy coats even though the day time temperature is hovering at some 25C!

Its a great time to head to the ocean, where the beaches stretch out with not a soul on them, (well one in this case) and where the ocean is calm and quiet for its fans. There are many, fans, that is.

And an abundance of birds – seagulls, cormorants and plovers all enjoying the day. Sacred Ibises, terns …

We saw some winter swimmers but also a man in a wetsuit in the shallows who had a float as a marker who disappeared under water for periods of time with his mask on. We could not work out what he was doing and that occupied our conversation for a while. Any thoughts ?

The earliest-known pelican fossil, discovered in France, dates back 30 million years.These animals are essentially living fossils. Now that I did not know. Pelicans are massive, ancient water birds renowned for their colossal bills and elastic throats which can hold up to 13 litres of water for trawling fish. Aussie Pelicans have the longest bill in the avian world. There is a place along this coast line called Pelican Park where they like to congregate but today we enjoyed the view of this one on a lamppost against a mottled sky.

A wonderful bird is the Pelican,

His bill will hold more than his belican,

He can take in his beak

Food enough for a week

But I am damned if I see how the helican.

Dixon Lanier Merritt 1879- 1972