We went kayaking yesterday among the mangrove islands in the Indian River Lagoon. The islands are a favorite nesting spot for the Brown Pelican. I think if I were a bird, I might be a Brown Pelican. I can relate to their extreme clumsiness. Unlike other more graceful water birds, Pelican make a clumsy splash landing in the water as they dive head first for fish. I have read that they also sometimes crash land in their flimsy stick nests in the mangroves that often need to be rebuilt.

Click here to see a video of a Brown Pelican splash landing.