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Jan-Michael Breider | profile | all galleries >> Galleries >> Pelicans in Greece 2010 tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Pelicans in Greece 2010

The Dalmatian Pelican is the largest of the pelicans, averaging 170–190 cm (67-75 inches) in length, 11–15 kg (24-33 lbs) in weight and just over 3 m (10 ft) in wingspan. It breeds from southeastern Europe to India and China in swamps and shallow lakes. One of the best lakes to see the pelicans is Lake Kerkini in Greece close to the Bulgarian mountains. Here we got help from local fishermen to feed pelicans. Together with wildlife photographers Jari Peltomäki (Finland), Brutus Östling (Sweden), Werner Bollinger (Germany) and biologist Dimitris Vavylis (Greece) I spent 5 days just taking pictures of these big birds.
The Dalmatian pelican is normally a bit shy, but with cold weather (we had -6 degrees C in the mornings), lots of fish - the birds will come very close and it is possible to get very good photo opportunities.

We also spent a couple of days in the small village Kastoria close to the Albanian border. Named from trade of furs (Castor = beaver) this town hosts a nice little colony of Pygmy Cormorants.
Early morning activity in Lake Kerkini
Early morning activity in Lake Kerkini		 Dalmatian Pelicans in Kerkini sunrise
Dalmatian Pelicans in Kerkini sunrise		 Early morning light with Bulgarian mountains in the background
Early morning light with Bulgarian mountains in the background		 Trying hard to get the fish....
Trying hard to get the fish....		 Feeding of Dalmatian Pelicans
Feeding of Dalmatian Pelicans
Adult Dalmatian Pelican - Lake Kerkini
Adult Dalmatian Pelican - Lake Kerkini		 Flying fish hard to get!
Flying fish hard to get!		 Dalmatian Pelicans chase
Dalmatian Pelicans chase		 Surprise!! Catch as catch can.....
Surprise!! "Catch as catch can".....		 Trying very hard to get the fish.....
Trying very hard to get the fish.....
Pelicans catching fish
Pelicans catching fish		 Dalmatian Pelicans gathering (do you have fish for us?)
Dalmatian Pelicans gathering (do you have fish for us?)		 I sure need that fish....
I sure need that fish....		 You are my best friend (if you get a fish....)
You are my best friend (if you get a fish....)		 Pelican chaos
"Pelican chaos"
The last view some fish will see....
The last view some fish will see....		 Adult Dalmatian Pelican
Adult Dalmatian Pelican		 Tom helping us with with 20 kg of fish twice daily
Tom helping us with with 20 kg of fish twice daily		 Fisherman Tom and family, feeding pelicans in the evening
Fisherman Tom and family, feeding pelicans in the evening		 And you thought the Grey Heron is big bird!!!
And you thought the Grey Heron is big bird!!!
Two pelicans on an old boat
Two pelicans on an old boat		 Old Dalmatian and young White Pelican
Old Dalmatian and young White Pelican		 Dalmatian Pelicans
Dalmatian Pelicans		 A crowd of adult Dalmatian Pelicans trying to get our fish
A crowd of adult Dalmatian Pelicans trying to get our fish		 Adult Dalmatian Pelican starting to fly
Adult Dalmatian Pelican starting to fly
Adult Dalmatian Pelican
Adult Dalmatian Pelican		 Dalamatian Pelicans in flight
Dalamatian Pelicans in flight		 Pelicans gathering in south end of lake Kerkini in the evening
Pelicans gathering in south end of lake Kerkini in the evening		 Pelicans flying to overnight place
Pelicans flying to overnight place		 Immature Dalmatian landing on Lake Kerkini
Immature Dalmatian landing on Lake Kerkini
Immature Dalmatian Pelican landing
Immature Dalmatian Pelican landing		 Landing Dalmatian Pelican
Landing Dalmatian Pelican		 Adult White Pelican landing in Kerkini
Adult White Pelican landing in Kerkini		 White Pelican
White Pelican		 Lake Kerkini on the border to Bulgaria
Lake Kerkini on the border to Bulgaria
Fishermen at Lake Kerkini
Fishermen at Lake Kerkini		 Delta area of Lake Kerkini
Delta area of Lake Kerkini		 Cormorant taking off
Cormorant taking off		 Cormorants
Cormorants		 Morning coffe at lake Kerkini is nice at minus 5 degrees Celius!
Morning coffe at lake Kerkini is nice at minus 5 degrees Celius!
Local Fisherman in small hut
Local Fisherman in small hut		 Lake Kerkini Fisherman
Lake Kerkini Fisherman		 Werner Bollman, Jari Peltomäki and biology student Dimitris Vavylis
Werner Bollman, Jari Peltomäki and biology student Dimitris Vavylis		 Jari Peltomäki recently changed from Canon to.......Hmmm
Jari Peltomäki recently changed from Canon to.......Hmmm		 Swedish photographer Brutus What is NIKON Östling
Swedish photographer Brutus "What is NIKON" Östling
Brutus Östling - early morning photography with Eos-1D Mark IV and 300 mm
Brutus Östling - early morning photography with Eos-1D Mark IV and 300 mm		 Werner Bollman using his Nikon on a beanbag
Werner Bollman using his Nikon on a beanbag		 Fishermen on lake Kerini with pelicans waiting for food...
Fishermen on lake Kerini with pelicans waiting for food...		 Dalmatian pelicans resting on a boat
Dalmatian pelicans resting on a boat		 Young pelicans eager to get food on a cold snowy morning
Young pelicans eager to get food on a cold snowy morning
Lake Kerkini in snow
Lake Kerkini in snow		 Little bus-stop with icons
Little bus-stop with icons		 Early morning in Lithotopos near Lake Kerkini
Early morning in Lithotopos near Lake Kerkini		 Kastoria close to Albanian border
Kastoria close to Albanian border		 Lake Kastoria
Lake Kastoria
Lake Kastoria
Lake Kastoria		 After snowfall comes....... rain! Lake Kastoria
After snowfall comes....... rain! Lake Kastoria		 Feeding pigeons in the harbour of Kastoria
Feeding pigeons in the harbour of Kastoria		 Young Dalmatian Pelican in Kastoria harbour
Young Dalmatian Pelican in Kastoria harbour		 Mute Swans in Lake Kastoria
Mute Swans in Lake Kastoria
Black-headed Gulls
Black-headed Gulls		 Black-headed Gulls in snowfall - Kastoria
Black-headed Gulls in snowfall - Kastoria		 Biologist Dimitris Vavylis
Biologist Dimitris Vavylis		 Brutus most important tools...... Cellphone & Mark IV with 800 mm lens
Brutus most important tools...... Cellphone & Mark IV with 800 mm lens		 Pygmy Cormorant (Phalacrocorax pygmeus) - Kastoria
Pygmy Cormorant (Phalacrocorax pygmeus) - Kastoria
Pygmy Cormorant in Kastoria harbour
Pygmy Cormorant in Kastoria harbour		 Pygmy Cormorant in Kastoria harbour
Pygmy Cormorant in Kastoria harbour		 Dalmatian Pelicans in Kastoria
Dalmatian Pelicans in Kastoria

comment | share
joseantonio29-May-2010 12:31
Amazing collection of nice pictures
Giorgio Iorio29-May-2010 11:48
Very nice images! Congratulations. ~V~
Guest 02-Feb-2010 23:07
Grate gallery , well done ! V
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