Pelicans

At Right

Pelican Dive - 3/4 Second Multiple Exposure Composite

917_1915

3/4 second in the life of a brown pelican on the Texas coast. This mature brown pelican is demonstating a perfect, and stereotypical vertical dive.

Available on canvas in sizes 10x40 to as tall as 12 feet

Examples

10" x 40" Canvas

Stretched, gallery wrapped over solid wood stretcher frame.........$250.00

18" x 68" drop canvas $550 to $800.00 dependent on whether supplied as a mural or mounted on board, mounted with a drop hanging or framed

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	Scott Kilgore Photography Elegant, Stunning or Humourous Birds, Nature, Wildlife, Auto Racing, Train, Railroad Photography, Fine Art Photography, All presented in very high detail and resolution (except where noted for effect)

	Pelicans Gallery

	American Brown Pelicans

	Go To American White Pelicans Section

	"Concentration"


	Concentration 911-4177 6x18 .............................. $32.00 911-4177 12x36 ........................... $155.00 12" x 36" Canvas Stretched, gallery wrapped over solid wood stretcher frame..........................$250.00
The fate of the American Brown Pelican is a testament to the success of effective environmental conservation laws. Nearing extinction in the 1960-1970's due to DDT, the species has made a slow but strong comeback after the banning of the chemical in 1972. While populations in Florida have been declining during the past decade, populations in Louisiana and Texas have recovered to pre-pesticide levels. The brown pelican poplulation died out in Louisiana in 1963, which is rather disturbing and ironic since it is the Louisiana state bird. The birds vitually disappeared from the upper Texas coast, with only 18 breeding pairs recorded in 1975. It should be noted that the decline in brown pelicans started well before the introduction of DDT in the 1940's. In Texas, the birds were regularly killed by fisherman, who mistakenly believed the pelicans competed with them for food. This resulted in an 80% decline between 1920 and 1954. West coast populations were also severely threatened, though not virtually extinct like the Eastern brown pelican. Given only a few more years of use of DDT, the species would have been extinct throughout the United States. While populations have generally recovered to pre-DDT levels, they are nowhere near historic levels in the 1800's. Also, there are not as many pelicans around as one might think if you were to see them at Galveston or Port Aransas. Brown pelicans are used to being around humans and places where humans fish. You may see the same group of pelicans cruising the shorelines several times a day, and think you are seeing many more. Yet if you travel more remote areas away from human activity, you will also see very few brown pelicans. Brown pelicans are still threatened as a species. Conservation efforts, most starting with President Theodore Roosevelt have helped save many of the bird species of North America from extinction.

		Our brown pelican is the smallest of the world's pelicans. With a weight of over 8 pounds and with a wingspan of up to 7 feet, this is still a very large bird. Docile in nature, they are generally not particularly fearful of humans. Some immature birds are even quite friendly, a naive trait that usually disappears after contact with some of the lower quality individuals of our species. I am particularly fond of pelicans. It is the highlight of a day in Port Aransas when I can find a pelican who I recognize (they don't all look the same), and either sit down next to him and watch the sun set, or the ships go by, or have him fly up and land right beside me. I knew one that would stay next to me on a railing whenever I came to visit. This probably had a lot to do with the fact that I would tell other people to leave him alone. People would see us so close and want to pet him. I would tell them "no, he'll bite". I'm sure he appreciated the protection. He could go to sleep on a railing near me and know that no one would bother him, at least as long as I was there. I started calling him Buddy. Further down the page is a picture of him as a young pelican. This special relationship went on for two years until nature had more interesting activities for Buddy than sitting on a railing with a human friend. The last time few times he landed on the railing and came up to me, he only stayed for a short time. I have seen him since, but he mostly ignores me. And that's the way it should be. As photo subjects I find that they can be elegant, or humorous, graceful, or goofy. And always entertaining. Scott A. Kilgore

	ALL IMAGES and THIS SITE © Scott A. Kilgore 2008, 2015

Pelican Dive

(above right)

915_1200

24"x36" canvas

Stretched, gallery wrapped over solid wood stretcher frame...........................$350.00

20"x30" canvas

Stretched, gallery wrapped over solid wood stretcher frame (special price) $275.00

The Pelican Rookery Project

2008

The four images below are a sample from an extensive project covering a brown pelican rookery on the Texas coast in 2008. From February till July of 2008, I spent one week on, one week off, standing on an oyster bed just outside the rookery. Weather, tide, current, and wind conditions, combined with shallow water at and near this site made reaching or leaving the site quite treacherous (at least with expensive equipment on board), with some days being impossible.

As I am also an industrial designer, this led to the development of a boat that could handle the currents, chop, and winds in this location. More about that can be found at:

http://leannsteerkayaks.com/

The pelicans themselves quickly became accustomed to my nearby presence on the oyster bed and generally ignored me. Since they just treated me as a part of the scenery that belonged there, they acted naturally. Some curious birds, particularly non-nesting, immature, one year old birds would land on, or walk up on the oyster bed and look in my kayak. Pelican and other birds would swim right by me in the narrow, 10 foot channel between the island and the oyster bed. I was never closer than 40 feet from the closest nests. It is actually illegal to get on the islands, also illegal to disturb the nesting birds. The biggest problem either the birds or I had were the very rare times people in powerboats who would approach to about 150 feet, trying to talk to me, and getting the whole community upset. I would have to wave them off.

The hurricanes of 2008-9 severely devastated the rookery, destroyed the oyster bed, and last time I looked, it still hadn't fully recovered..

These images were to be part of a book I planned on releasing in 2009. That depression that we never had has delayed that. These images are the first official release. More will be released from time to time, but only via Email. If you wish to see more of this series, or any other new releases, please contact me and ask to be placed on my Email list.

The four prints below are available as:

24"x36" canvas

Stretched, gallery wrapped over solid wood stretcher frame...........................$350.00

20"x30" canvas

Stretched, gallery wrapped over solid wood stretcher frame (special price) $275.00




					Elegant Nester Brown pelican on nest in early spring. Both parents share all nesting duties. 916_4582

		Pelican PDA (Pelican Pair Courting) In courting, brown pelicans sway their heads back and forth expressively in a way that will remind you of Stevie Wonder. 916_3834

	Parent's Kiss Unlike some species of birds, brown pelicans, at least on the Texas coast, try to fledge all the chicks in the brood. Two or three chicks in a nest are typical. Many still are lost due to predators. Snakes seemed to be the most common predator of the youngest birds. Loss of a parent can doom the chicks. 917_7659
			Trouble With The Neighbors Nests are frequently close together. In this scene, the adult bird at top has just landed, provoking an angry response in unison from two of the chicks and the adult in the nest below. 917_8578

	Look Deep Into My Eyes ... You Want To Feed Me FISH!

Look Deep Into My Eyes ... You Want To Feed Me FISH!

Above

866_6652 8x12 ........................................$30.00

866_6652 12x18 with Museum Card© ......$95.00

866_6652 24x36 with Museum Card©.....$495.00

At Right

866_6652 6x18 .........................................$32.00

866_6652 12x36 with Museum Card© .....$155.00

12" x 36" Canvas

Stretched, gallery wrapped over solid wood stretcher frame..........................$250.00


		Buddy says "Howdy, Y'all From Texas" Also available as a bookmark




				Buddy Howdy Y'all From Texas 906_1933 6x18 ........................................$32.00 866_6652 8x12 ........................................$30.00 866_6652 12x18 with Museum Card© ......$95.00

12" x 36" Canvas

Stretched, gallery wrapped over solid wood stretcher frame..........................$250.00

24"x36" canvas

Stretched, gallery wrapped over solid wood stretcher frame...........................$350.00

Note that canvas prints do not have borders.

	Grace Brown Pelican 228_2832 8x12 ........................................$30.00 228_2832 12x18 with Museum Card© ......$95.00 228_2832 24x36 with Museum Card©.....$495.00 24"x36" canvas Stretched, gallery wrapped over solid wood stretcher frame...........................$350.00 20"x30" canvas Stretched, gallery wrapped over solid wood stretcher frame (special price) $275.00 Note that canvas prints do not have borders.

Brown Pelicans Up On A Rock

796_9638 8x12 ........................................$30.00

24"x36" canvas

Stretched, gallery wrapped over solid wood stretcher frame...........................$350.00

20"x30" canvas

Stretched, gallery wrapped over solid wood stretcher frame (special price) $275.00

Note that canvas prints do not have borders.




			Brown Pelicans Up On A Rock 796_9645 8x12 ........................................$30.00 796_9645 12x18 with Museum Card© ......$95.00 24"x36" canvas Stretched, gallery wrapped over solid wood stretcher frame...........................$350.00 20"x30" canvas Stretched, gallery wrapped over solid wood stretcher frame (special price) ............$275.00 Note that canvas prints do not have borders.



	Brown Pelican (Immature) 100_0014 8x12 ........................................$30.00 100_0014 12x18 with Museum Card© ......$95.00 24"x36" canvas Stretched, gallery wrapped over solid wood stretcher frame...........................$350.00 20"x30" canvas Stretched, gallery wrapped over solid wood stretcher frame (special price) ......$275.00 Note that canvas prints do not have borders.




			Brown Pelican (Mature) 260_6032 8x12 ........................................$30.00 260_6032 12x18 with Museum Card© ......$95.00 24"x36" canvas Stretched, gallery wrapped over solid wood stretcher frame...........................$350.00 20"x30" canvas Stretched, gallery wrapped over solid wood stretcher frame (special price) $275.00 Note that canvas prints do not have borders.

	"SPIKE" Brown Pelican (Immature) 229_2987 8x12 ........................................$30.00 229_2987 12x18 with Museum Card© ......$95.00 24"x36" canvas Stretched, gallery wrapped over solid wood stretcher frame...........................$350.00 20"x30" canvas Stretched, gallery wrapped over solid wood stretcher frame (special price) $275.00 Note that canvas prints do not have borders.


		Immature Brown Pelican Closeup Brown Pelican (Immature) 229_2987 8x12 ........................................$30.00 229_2987 12x18 with Museum Card© ......$95.00 24"x36" canvas Stretched, gallery wrapped over solid wood stretcher frame...........................$350.00 20"x30" canvas Stretched, gallery wrapped over solid wood stretcher frame (special price) $275.00 Note that canvas prints do not have borders.

	American White Pelicans