Pink-backed Pelican removing feathers from throat pouch

Went back to check up on the long staying pelican at Yeruham this morning. Finally saw some flight action too as it came in to land and disturbed a Night Heron.

The bird spends a lot of time preening and appeared to have got a couple of feathers stuck in its throat pouch. This is how s/he removed the irritation. . . .

Feathers caught just at the end of the throat pouch.

 

and there's one feather.....

 and now the second

 relief....

Besor update

We're  in the long hot days of summer now and brown is the primary colour but it's still worth checking the ever-smaller pools of Besor. There really wasn't much today - a single Little Bittern, Glossy Ibis, a few Night and Squacco Herons and Little Egrets, several pairs each of Rufous Bush Robin and Roller and the usual flock of Bee-eater. However, the few birds that were around provided some fantastic photo opportunities.

A female Little Bittern posed beautifully before clambering down the reeds and out of sight.

Clamourous Reed Warblers still singing away on the reed tops.

Many Reed Warblers too. 

The pool where these Little Grebe chicks are is shrinking fast - hopefully they'll be old enough to decamp to wetter areas before it gets too dry.

Several Pallid

and Alpine Swifts overhead too.

A juvenile Night Heron with Little Egrets - don't often see them fly together.

Pink-backed Pelican

There's been a Pink-backed Pelican on Yeruham Lake for several days now. Hard to resist the twitch especially as it is only a few kilometers from work. I arrived in thick fog and had to wait a while for it to clear. As visibility improved the pelican decided to take a snooze.

Finally though, it woke up to preen and there was a welcome flurry of activity as a Hoodie came too close for comfort.

Great views of this bird but disappointing photos - distance plus the remnants of morning mist I guess.

Went back in the afternoon - bird still there, still preening

and photos still not sharp. . . .