Brown Pelican

One day towards the end of the holiday we left the excitement of Disney and travelled to the east coast of Florida to Cocoa Beach. Just down the coast from Cape Canaveral, this long expanse of golden sand is great for sunbathing and relaxation. We spent a lovely day near the pier, which we realised we had seen on TV a number of times as the place where people watch the launch of the Space Shuttle. Unfortunately we didn't have time to visit the nearby wildlife mecca of Merritt Island reserve, but a simple family day on the beach brought it's own bird photographic opportunities.

By far the largest bird we saw in Florida was the Brown Pelican. They were relatively common on and around Cocoa Beach and very accustomed to humans, perching on the rails of the pier or waddling across the sand. I think they're great - and such characters. I particularly liked the images I could get looking up at the birds as they sat on the pier café roof above me!

Brown PelicanCocoa Pier, Cocoa Beach, Florida, USA Brown PelicanCocoa Pier, Cocoa Beach, Florida, USA

Brown PelicanCocoa Pier, Cocoa Beach, Florida, USA Brown PelicanCocoa Pier, Cocoa Beach, Florida, USA

Brown PelicanCocoa Pier, Cocoa Beach, Florida, USA

Brown Pelican in FlightCocoa Pier, Cocoa Beach, Florida, USA

Brown Pelican in FlightCocoa Pier, Cocoa Beach, Florida, USA

Brown PelicanCocoa Pier, Cocoa Beach, Florida, USA