Postcards from Lake Kerkini (5): portraits
Dalmatian pelican and bow wave: setting on to Lake Kerkini just after touching down
When the pelicans settle on the water near the boat, there are chances to make simple portraits.
I liked getting the camera down low, as close to the water as possible. As with the flight shots, getting low helps to get the best reflections; it also gives the birds a kind of "heroic" look. The downside of getting low to the water is that unexpected movement by others on the boat can tip it just enough to dunk the camera and lens in the lake. I managed to avoid this ... mostly!
Three adult Dalmatian pelicans at sunset. These are mature birds in their breeding plumage: note the bright red pouches.
Emerging from the fog in the blue hour before dawn
A single adult after sunset. Again note the red pouch and also the way the bill dips into the water. This is probably a male: aside from being larger than that females, they have longer beaks (lower mandible lengths around 4cm longer in males than females, see analysis in this paper) and tend to drag them in the water.
Afternoon light on a single adult. This is possibly a female given the way the beak is carried out of the water.
Juvenile plumage
This is a different species: Great White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus). The males are distinguished by their pink colour. The eyes are very dark compared to the Dalmatians.