A Plea to our Florida Hogs: My wife, just back from a Fort Myers vacation, told about a giant pelican, possibly strayed from Africa, has been hanging about Fort Myers waters amongst...

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

My wife, just back from a Fort Myers vacation, told about a giant pelican, possibly strayed from Africa, has been hanging about Fort Myers waters amongst more native pelicans. She wasn't able to get a sighting or picture, but maybe some of you might. A picture of that giant pelican would make a great post.

OddJobber Loc: Portland, OR

It's real, but the jury's still out about whether it traveled 4000 miles or is an escapee from closer in.
http://www.news-press.com/story/life/2016/03/01/4000-miles-home-great-white-pelican-appears-ding/81146912/

firtree Loc: Florida, USA

OddJobber wrote:

It's real, but the jury's still out about whether it traveled 4000 miles or is an escapee from closer in.
http://www.news-press.com/story/life/2016/03/01/4000-miles-home-great-white-pelican-appears-ding/81146912/

Interesting! Thanks for posting this link on the OP's alert.

StevenBrownPhoto Loc: Excelsior, MN

Very cool! We are going to Fort Myers in 4 weeks. I will be on the look out for a bigger pelican.

DerBiermeister Loc: North of Richmond VA

I've spent a good part of my life watching pelicans. Especially in my yute. One of my first jobs as a teenager was to take care of the Longfellow House pier (Pascagoula, Ms) to help guests bait their hooks, etc. Many many hours spent among the pelicans, dolphins, and even sharks. Man, when the blues were running - that was some good eating!

rmw0001 Loc: Lake Mills, WI

There's an image of this pelican on flickr.com. Just go to flickr and do a search on "Andy Morffew" to find it.

steve_stoneblossom Loc: Rhode Island, USA

DerBiermeister wrote:

I've spent a good part of my life watching pelicans. Especially in my yute. One of my first jobs as a teenager was to take care of the Longfellow House pier (Pascagoula, Ms) to help guests bait their hooks, etc. Many many hours spent among the pelicans, dolphins, and even sharks. Man, when the blues were running - that was some good eating!

"Did you say 'yutes'?"

Capn_Dave

It tasted sorta like a fishy Chicken

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

DerBiermeister wrote:

I've spent a good part of my life watching pelicans. Especially in my yute. One of my first jobs as a teenager was to take care of the Longfellow House pier (Pascagoula, Ms) to help guests bait their hooks, etc. Many many hours spent among the pelicans, dolphins, and even sharks. Man, when the blues were running - that was some good eating!

Down in those MS gulf waters there would be pompano - fabulous tasting fish. I used to get them in the Padre Island gulf waters back in the mid-1950s.

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

Capn_Dave wrote:

It tasted sorta like a fishy Chicken

Or chickeny fish.

paulrph1 Loc: Washington, Utah

John_F wrote:

My wife, just back from a Fort Myers vacation, told about a giant pelican, possibly strayed from Africa, has been hanging about Fort Myers waters amongst more native pelicans. She wasn't able to get a sighting or picture, but maybe some of you might. A picture of that giant pelican would make a great post.

So birds of a feather do flock together, er, almost?