We spend nearly every Christmas on Kiawah Island, South Carolina. One of the “sea islands” that form a chain of barrier islands near Charleston, Kiawah is heavily developed with vacation homes and golf courses… but is also carefully managed for green spaces and wildlife. As a result, it is a beautiful place to explore and to photograph wildlife. I enjoyed the perching birds (hawk, osprey, herons) and the shorebirds. But… read on!
But I spent the most time watching three dolphins feeding in the low-tide shallows at the far-western tip of the island. They would swim so close to shore, where the water is so shallow they have to turn sideways, nabbing small fish who school in the shallows. Sometimes – not today – a group of dolphins team up to drive the school of fish up close to shore and then leap onto shore after them, feasting on fish. This “strand feeding” is highly unusual; Kiawah is one of the only locations it has ever been seen. (See my 2018 post for photos!)
The pelicans know about this trick; they hang out close to the dolphins, hoping to steal a quick meal. No fish were delivered to them on-shore… but some of them nonetheless made good on the feeding opportunity. This pelican swallowed at least three fish in one mouthful!
See the gallery for full-size photos, including close-ups of the pelican, vidfeo of the dolphins, and many more birds.
David Kotz 