Due to heavy rains over the weekend, the Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores was saturated with water on Monday, February 24,2014. As result, the weir was overflowing with water and this caused bait fish and mullet to be caught up in the swift current. I was watching mullet jump over the weir when an adult brown pelican started to circle overhead. It seemed unsure about me, but eventually landed on the opposite side of the weir. To my surprise it started to catch fish. I have never seen a pelican feed like this. I have seen them circle over and dive for fish, wade in schools of fish and wait for handouts from people fishing on piers. The pelican was standing over the edge and plunging its long bill into the water, gulping up bait fish. I have seen great blue herons do this but not pelicans. The skin under the bill of the pelican expands like a net and it traps the fish. I watched it for a few minutes from my vantage point and decided to get closer. It noticed I was getting near but didn't pay me much attention at first so I kept inching forward. A few more steps I was within the birds comfort zone so I stopped. It almost flew away but didn't. The bird took a pause from fishing and looked at me for a few moments. The pelican decided I wasn't threat so went back to fishing. I snapped a few shots, and then left the pelican to fish by itself. Whenever I have encounters like this where wildlife let me into their comfort zone I almost feel like it is a privilege.

Brown Pelican PhotographyAn adult brown pelican land near the weir at the Gulf State Park on Monday,February 24,2014 in Gulf Shores, Alabama Gulf Shores Brown Pelican PhotographyAn adult brown pelican catches bait fish at the weir in the Gulf State Park on Monday,February 24,2014 in Gulf Shores, Alabama Gulf Shores Brown Pelican PhotographyAn adult brown pelican catches bait fish at the weir in the Gulf State Park on Monday,February 24,2014 in Gulf Shores, Alabama Gulf Shores Brown Pelican PhotographyAn adult brown pelican catches bait fish at the weir in the Gulf State Park on Monday,February 24,2014 in Gulf Shores, Alabama Gulf Shores Brown Pelican PhotographyAn adult brown pelican catches bait fish at the weir in the Gulf State Park on Monday,February 24,2014 in Gulf Shores, Alabama Gulf Shores Brown Pelican PhotographyAn adult brown pelican catches bait fish at the weir in the Gulf State Park on Monday,February 24,2014 in Gulf Shores, Alabama Gulf Shores Brown Pelican PhotographyAn adult brown pelican catches bait fish at the weir in the Gulf State Park on Monday,February 24,2014 in Gulf Shores, Alabama Mullet Jump in Gulf ShoresMullet jump over the weir at the Gulf State Park on Monday,February 24,2014 in Gulf Shores, Alabama