#brownpelicans — Public Fediverse posts

😢 A #MarineHeatWave caused seabird deaths off California. El Nino could worsen the die-off

‘We don’t know how bad this is going to get’

By JULIE WATSON
Updated 1:25 PM EDT, July 1, 2026

SAN DIEGO (AP) — "Within minutes of walking on a #SanDiego beach, marine ornithologist Tammy Russell found the feathered carcasses — one after another.
Some were mixed in with washed up kelp. Others were under rocks.

"Each month, scientists and volunteers conduct surveys of dead #seabirds and find what Russell describes as a grim assessment of the impact of a massive marine HeatWave that has lingered for months off parts of the California coast.

"The surveys that have been carried out by various organizations for decades help build a baseline of information on beached sea life to detect threats and their impact.

"Many seabirds, including California #BrownPelicans, #loons and #grebes, starved to death in recent months as record-setting ocean temperatures decreased the band of cold, nutrient-rich surface water where #krill, #anchovies and #sardines thrive near the shore, said Russell, a postdoctoral scholar at the University of California, San Diego, Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

"We’ve been seeing #cormorants walk to shore and then just die within the hour. I mean one time it happened within 15 minutes, and I’ve never seen that before,” Russell said. 'That has been heartbreaking for me and we’re seeing this happening across the whole coast.'

"Scientists fear the die-off could worsen with the recently formed El Nino, the natural warming of parts of the central Pacific that alters weather worldwide and spikes global temperatures."

Read more:
https://apnews.com/article/seabirds-marine-heat-wave-deaths-ocean-climate-056b2e8539df2d99d155a95c82ac67cc

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/jsx3D

#ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #PacificOcean #ElNino #WarmingOceans #OceanDieOff #Seabirds

Good morning. 🌦️🌧️☔

13 April 2026

I was going to take Charlie for a walk this morning and try to get back into the rhythm of things, but it’s raining. That’s all it takes to talk me out of going anywhere. Besides, I wouldn’t leave before spilling a few hundred words onto the page anyway.

Did you know I build my own computers? Because of that, my office often looks like a graveyard of machines from years gone by. The PC I’m using now is one I slapped together a couple of years ago. My wife once suggested I take up computer building as a hobby — and it would be fun — but it’s an expensive pastime, and then you’re left wondering what to do with the finished product.

Everybody wants laptops these days. I own several myself, mostly for travel. But for everyday work, I rely on my desktop. It does everything I need, and when it doesn’t, off it goes to the PC graveyard while I brush up on modern specs and build another one. I even bought the most expensive small laptop I could find for traveling — all the bells and whistles — and while it gets the job done, its performance still can’t touch my desktop.

The laptop’s other problem is its size. The 14.5-inch screen is great for portability, but my eyesight isn’t what it used to be. I’ve started thinking about getting a larger laptop someday. I even have a 17-inch one around here somewhere, but I doubt it would keep up.

And here we are — another ramble of roughly 300 words, produced on a morning when I was convinced my brain was an empty warehouse. Or was it? Nothing profound, of course — just enough nonsense to prove I can still type even when inspiration has called in sick.

“I write to find out what I’m thinking.” — Joan Didion

“I never know what I think about something until I read what I’ve written.” — Flannery O’Connor

“Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet.” — Bob Marley

#wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #brownpelicans #morning #writing #rain

Pelican Geometry

I saw a flock of brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) flying in formation over Tybee Island near Savannah, Georgia.

If you enjoy wildlife and nature photography, check out my photo gallery here:

https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #pelicans #BrownPelicans

Good morning. 💻🚶‍♂️‍➡️🐕‍🦺

3 September 2025

Ever bought just one tire? I usually go in fours. But a few years ago, while traveling, I picked up a bolt in the sidewall of a nearly new tire. I had one of those baby spares—good for getting you off the road but not much else—so I had to buy a single tire just to get home.

Problem was, I couldn’t find the same brand. So, I bought a different one. Then, once I got home, I replaced that oddball with a match for the original set. In the end, I bought two tries to replace one. And I was left with an extra, which I eventually gave away. The math made my head spin.

Still, it beat my younger days, when “a set of tires” wasn’t even in my vocabulary. Back then, four different brands on one car was normal. Replacing a blowout with a used retread? That was luxury.

“The truth is, most of us discover where we are headed when we arrive.” — Bill Watterson

#morning #tires #misadventure #BrownPelicans #sky#photo #photography #photographer #nature #bird #birds

Brown Pelicans occupying an island at the Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary back in July #BrownPelicans #BirdPhotography #Birds #NorCalCoast2025 #Fujifilm #SOoC

Good morning. ⏰🫘☕

29 July 2025

We walked yesterday morning, but the sun and heat were brutal—for both me and Charlie—so we kept it to just a couple of miles. I do think walking helps my energy levels, though it’s a bit like charging a bad battery: it works, but the charge doesn’t last long. There’s a mountain of things I need to do, most of which end up on my “do tomorrow” list. Naps, though—I handle those with precision and urgency.

This morning, I went out to feed the birds with Charlie’s help. It’s always a blast when I rinse and refill the birdbath. I set the hose nozzle to jet, and Charlie chases the stream back and forth like it’s his personal mission—pure joy. That’s enough for now. I’m grabbing my camera and heading outside.

“Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week.” — Spanish Proverb

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #morning #pelicans #BrownPelicans #procrastination #walking

Pelican Drift

These are brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) I spotted soaring overhead at Tybee Island Beach. Three distinct squadrons passed above just as we crossed the beach dunes—almost as if they were heralding our arrival.

If you enjoy wildlife and nature photography, check out my photo gallery here:

https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #BrownPelicans

A View from Shore

This is a view from Holly Beach, Louisiana, taken in the spring 2023. There are brown pelicans flying above the Gulf of Mexico and a little farther out a couple of white birds, probably gulls, float in the water.

You know, the photographs that I post here are not quite a vivid as the same photographs that I post at my pixel's gallery, because here, I reduce the size of the photos and usually make a slight reduction in the quality of the photos to make them easier to load.

Take a look:
https://swede1952-photographs.pixels.com

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdsofmastodon #birdwatching #birdphotography #BrownPelicans #gulls #ocean #GulfofMexico

At the end of that meeting, I met up with an old friend from my time at UC Irvine, for a walk on the Crystal Cove beach and in Newport Beach Back Bay before flying back to Houston.

#Birds #Birding #BirdPhotography #Nature #NaturePhotography #Travel #Wildlife #California #WildlifePhotography #Seagulls #Pelicans #BrownPelicans

Good morning. ☕☕☕

20 October 2023

I slept late this because I didn't get to sleep until after two this morning. It's almost 8 AM and I'm just now taking my first sips of coffee.

Hmmm ... I can't recall ever having problems sleeping in my early years, except as a child on Christmas Eve or sometimes if we had plans to go fishing the following morning. But that was because of excited anticipation. I'd say that for my first 50 years, I could go to sleep at the drop of a hat. The thing is though, I didn't require as much sleep. Indeed, there were times it my 20s and 30s that I could get by on two to four hours of sleep. I'd even slept on the ground or on the floor in an airport with no problem.
 
“I close my eyes, but I can’t fall asleep, my body dying for the rest while my mind’s wide awake.” - Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #birds #birdsofmastodon #birdwatching #morning #sleeplessness #BrownPelicans

It was a good morning for pelicans. #photography #birding #brownpelicans #pelicans #naturephotography #birdphotography #bird #birding

This is a sight frequently seen when pelicans are diving for food. Seagulls, being the opportunists they are, will often hover around hoping for an escapee from the pelicans pouch. This one took it a step further and positioned himself to better grab a tasty morsel.

Find Hitchin A Ride Here: https://hhphotography.pixels.com/featured/hitchin-a-ride-hh-photography-of-florida.html

#pelicans #seagulls #brownpelicans #birds #BirdPhotography #photography #MastoPhoto #MastoBirds #BirdsOfMastadon #BuyIntoArt #fediverse #FediGiftShop

BROWN PELICAN TRIPTYCH BLACK WHITE:https://fineartamerica.com/featured/pelican-triptych-in-black-and-white-norma-brandsberg.html

Florida Brown pelicans in a triptych in black and white.

#florida #pelicans #brownpelicans #triptych #pelicantriptych #panorama #blackandwhite #blackandwhitephotography #pensacola #elegantfinephotography #normabrandsberg
#art4mom #travelphotography #nature #BuyIntoArt #springforart #art #AYearForArt #artforsale #Travel #art4mom #gifts #nature #photooftheday #picoftheday
#normabrandsberg
#elegantfinephotography

Sometimes I think I am busier as a retired person than I was when I was fully employed. No pictures today. Here's two from the archives, taken in La Jolla, CA about 15 years ago with an entry level Nikon DSLR and a cheap 200 mm lens. #sealions #surf #brownpelicans #birds #birding #birdsofmastodon #nature #photography

While in Florida to attend the Joint Council of Librarians of Colour (😍 ) Conference, I made sure I had one day to rest. And visit the birds.... These #BrownPelicans remind me so much of their dinosaur ancestors. I love their metallic sheen, their platinum blonde hair...

Brown Pelicans on Oregon Coast in November, and a link to a short article with more photos from that trip https://indd.adobe.com/view/b30e493b-a987-4ac0-ae0d-6bbb416614bf
#oregoncoast #brownpelicans #photography

#BrownPelicans Suffer as #ClimateChange Erases Gulf Coast Islands – Mother Jones https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2022/10/brown-pelicans-threatened-gulf-coast-sea-level-rise-climate-change/ Brown Pelicans Suffer as Climate Change Erases Gulf Coast Islands
Experts estimate Louisiana loses a football field’s worth of ground every 60-90 minutes #environment