[nick demis]

We have had a bunch in St, Catherine for the past week.

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by Jim 9922

If you fish the ponds, they are not a welcome sight. The flock synchronizes a sweep across a large area of a pond to herd fish into a shallow end up near shore and then feast. When one pond is cleaned out to their satisfaction they move on to the next. A great example of teamwork in nature. It seems that the "loaners" on a pond are the scouts and are usually joined by the flock a day or two after the scouts arrive.

No wonder why I never catch any fish in the pond off to the left of the 9th tee box of the Palms course.

[OhioBuckeye]

Yea, they come every year!

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by OhioBuckeye

Yea, they come every year!

I had not seen them before and have lived here in the Villages since June 2005 with frequent visits to Palm Harbor, FL and one week in DC.

[rferg40]

Originally Posted by Jim 9922

If you fish the ponds, they are not a welcome sight. The flock synchronizes a sweep across a large area of a pond to herd fish into a shallow end up near shore and then feast. When one pond is cleaned out to their satisfaction they move on to the next. A great example of teamwork in nature. It seems that the "loaners" on a pond are the scouts and are usually joined by the flock a day or two after the scouts arrive.

And that is exactly what a couple of dozen of them did in the retention pond in my back yard. I am at the shallow end so I saw the feeding frenzy. Near Ezell rec center.

[La lamy]

Originally Posted by Jim 9922

If you fish the ponds, they are not a welcome sight. The flock synchronizes a sweep across a large area of a pond to herd fish into a shallow end up near shore and then feast. When one pond is cleaned out to their satisfaction they move on to the next. A great example of teamwork in nature. It seems that the "loaners" on a pond are the scouts and are usually joined by the flock a day or two after the scouts arrive.

So true. I call them the pelican army. Many other birds tag along for the feeding frenzy. Quite the sight.

[Chi-Town]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

No wonder why I never catch any fish in the pond off to the left of the 9th tee box of the Palms course.

Oh well. No fishing allowed on the golf courses anyhow.

[Taltarzac725]

That is quite a way to adapt to the Villages done by these White Pelicans. I wonder how they communicate about where the ponds they have already have and those they have yet to do with all the many ponds in the Villages?

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by Chi-Town

Oh well. No fishing allowed on the golf courses anyhow.

Easy access to that pond from the MMP on the far side of the pond. And the pond is next to the golf course, not on the golf course. One should not try to speak about things unless they know what they are talking about.

[OhioBuckeye]

Originally Posted by Taltarzac725

I had not seen them before and have lived here in the Villages since June 2005 with frequent visits to Palm Harbor, FL and one week in DC.

Really, that’s OK, not a big deal but glad you got to see them. We lived in TV for 8 yrs. & saw them every yr. maybe their migration habits changed. I always thought they looked like they were synchronize swimming.

[Chi-Town]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

Easy access to that pond from the MMP on the far side of the pond. And the pond is next to the golf course, not on the golf course. One should not try to speak about things unless they know what they are talking about.

Hmmm, a lecture by someone who is confused by what constitutes golf course property? Perhaps you should check with an ambassador and report back.

[JohnN]

This original limerick was penned by Dixon Lanier Merritt in 1910 and reads:

A wonderful bird is the pelican;
His bill will hold more than his belican.
He can take in his beak
Enough food for a week
But I’m damned if I see how the helican!

[asianthree]

Once they fish out a pond they move on. Yesterday On my way to Havana, there were about 40 fishing the pond off Odell. Still there when I finished playing and lunched, but numbers had dwindled.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by Jim 9922

If you fish the ponds, they are not a welcome sight. The flock synchronizes a sweep across a large area of a pond to herd fish into a shallow end up near shore and then feast. When one pond is cleaned out to their satisfaction they move on to the next. A great example of teamwork in nature. It seems that the "loners" on a pond are the scouts and are usually joined by the flock a day or two after the scouts arrive.

Saw they kept dipping their beaks into the water and wondered why.

Thanks for sharing