Who can answer this question about Pelicans?

Bretrick

Bretrick

Well-known Member
Location
Perth Western Australia
When I watch Pelicans circling high in the sky, at a certain point in that circle they disappear from view.
Then reappear a little further into the circle. Something to do with a trick of the light?
Has any one else ever witnessed this? Explanation?
I do not know the answer
 

Last edited:
Bretrick said:
When I watch Pelicans circling high in the sky, at a certain point in that circle they disappear from view.
Then reappear a little further into the circle. Something to do with a trick of the light?
Has any one else ever witnessed this? Explanation?
I do not know the answer
Click to expand...

No, but if i may go OT just bit ?

My dad rescued a Pelican once ..... she was tangled up in fishing line, wing & leg infected. He took her to a Vet, they were able to save her/fix her up. After about a week he took her back home to set her free ....... but she never left his yard. Followed him everywhere, even into the house on occasion . He named her Penelope . She was a hoot, cute little thing.
 
I don't know, but I do have a pelican story. I was vacationing on Sanibel Island. I was alone on the beach, as the vast majority of people were inexplicably using the pools. I love pelicans. I was in the ocean, and a flock of pelicans landed in a circle around me. They were just out of reach. This lasted for a minute or two, then they flew off. I have no idea why they did that, but I will never forget it.
 
WheatenLover said:
I don't know, but I do have a pelican story. I was vacationing on Sanibel Island. I was alone on the beach, as the vast majority of people were inexplicably using the pools. I love pelicans. I was in the ocean, and a flock of pelicans landed in a circle around me. They were just out of reach. This lasted for a minute or two, then they flew off. I have no idea why they did that, but I will never forget it.
Click to expand...
Cherish moments like that. When nature pays you a visit
 
Birds like pelicans fly in circles because they have a unique ability to take advantage of a weather phenomenon known as thermals. They don’t actually disappear, they are caught in a thermal lift away from your view. Thermals help give the bird lift, and birds fly in circles to stay within the thermal to reduce the amount of energy used during flight. Thermal lift is often used by other birds too, such as raptors, vultures and storks.
Amazing to watch them from a boat.
 
Mr. Ed said:
Pelican Storm dry box
Click to expand...
Never heard of these until today!!
iu
 
Shero said:
Birds like pelicans fly in circles because they have a unique ability to take advantage of a weather phenomenon known as thermals. They don’t actually disappear, they are caught in a thermal lift away from your view. Thermals help give the bird lift, and birds fly in circles to stay within the thermal to reduce the amount of energy used during flight. Thermal lift is often used by other birds too, such as raptors, vultures and storks.
Amazing to watch them from a boat.
Click to expand...
When watching the Pelicans circling high above, it is not that they go too high to see them anymore.
During their circling, at a particular point, they become invisible, then reappear further along the circling arc.
It seems to me that there is some process happening when the suns rays are at a particular angle, "cloaking" the Pelicans.
When that angle is passed, the Pelicans are visible again.
This is what I see every time I watch circling Pelicans. 🤷‍♂️
 
I found this on a Photographers blog just now.

It is hard to explain to a person who has never seen American White Pelicans circling on the thermals how amazing it is to see a large flock seemingly disappear from the sky and then a split second later see them reappear. It is just a matter of their body angle at certain times that makes them nearly invisible as they turn but it sure feels magical to me.

So someone else has seen this phenomenon and has offered a plausible answer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top