For the Love of Pelicans

 It was the day before Valentine's but I am pretty sure these two found the true meaning of love....and they took my heart in the short hour that I sat and watched them.

They shouldn't be here.  It is the midwest.  Middle of February.  Winter is not over.  They never left.  They found a small little dam area that has provided just enough open area to allow for feeding and a very large following of ducks and geese to keep them company...and maybe even warm.  I truly believe though that the warmth they get is mostly from the love you can see between the two of them.

This picture above is the one that got me.  When they finally decided to get up and head to open water, they literally walked, side by side, step for step, as if hooked at the hip.  When one stopped to preen and stretch, the other stopped and preened and stretched.  In unison.  Together.  In love.

In this picture above, the one closest to us is the male.  If you look really really close, you can see the slightly swollen hump on his upper bill which is where the larger growth will be during mating season.

In this picture below, the one standing is the female.  They actually has a darker neck and I'm wondering if she isn't a bit younger.

 In the very top picture, the shot was taken just as the sun was setting and the lighting was absolutely awesome which also provided for the reflections.  It was well worth the wait.

Below was a brigade of geese (there was a fifth just behind that isn't in this particular shot) that was meandering over after their feeding on the grassy area where visitors come to through out bread.  It was fun to watch.  You could see they were walking slowly and carefully so as not to fall and slip.  Every once in a while, you could see one of their webbed feet slip a bit.  It made the entire scene seem as if they were trying to sneak up on the gang in front.

This is just a sampling of all the other ducks that were present in this area.  This shot also was taken just as the setting sun was throwing some awesome backlighting on the subjects.  (Who says you need all those expensive lights?)          

 This was my Wednesday Walk and Click.  I'm not sure how I am going to be able to top it.