Pelicans Rule

I find it remarkable how pelicans land on ocean rocks at seemingly high speeds without a scratch. These rocks look smooth but I can attest to how easily they can cut you if you rub your hand across them. Fortunately, I took this photo without needing bandages afterwards.

Pelicans are loaded with air sacs that help them make smooth landings, or dive-bombing forays into the ocean for food. And nothing rivals the WWII feel of a pod of pelicans gliding silently over the shoreline near sunset…it is an “incoming” moment. And while they often fly low, they can go as high as 10,000-feet under the right conditions.

Since the pelican is state bird of Louisiana, it is not surprising that the state’s pro basketball team, the New Orleans Hornets, will change its nickname to the New Orleans Pelicans at the start of the 2013-14 NBA season. Sports bloggers have laughed at the new name, calling it “goofy,” at best. These bloggers don’t know pelicans.