Pelicans

I just picked up this lovely little Pelican at the Salvo's for $2!  Such a lovely and unexpected find!  I have a bit of a thing for Pelicans despite two rather unpleasant incidents.....  

Incident 1

This event took place some time ago.  We were living in Clovelly at the time and had taken a two year old Captain over to Rose Bay to watch the sea planes taking off and landing.  On arrival we found the ultimate rockstar car park, right on the harbour front.  We couldn't believe our luck and off we went to the park.  Upon our return we saw a bunch of tween aged kids sitting on the fence near our car, holding their noses and giggling.  As we got closer we saw what they were laughing at.  A pelican, perched rather prettily on a lamp post in the car park, next to our car had decided to empty it's bowels.  All over the front of our car. The damage was extensive, it took us a few minutes to clear the windscreen enough to drive. It was the smell however that was the most shocking.  A pelican diet consists primarily of fish.  R and I stood looking at the car in dismay whilst the tweens on the fence were laughing at us like hyenas!  After a while we had to bite the bullet and drive home though and the smell was simply phenomenal, it literally permeated the whole car.  At one stage I can remember we stopped at traffic lights and even the people waiting to cross the road started gagging and pointing at our car.  We now know why that car spot was empty.

Incident 2

The second pelican poo incident, yes there are two.  Be grateful, I have taken the fall for a lot of people as surely the odds of this happening must be rare!  Anyway, this event took place on the little one's third birthday.  For his present we gave him a lovely new bike and in order for him to try it out I took both boys to Manly, to ride to Shelly beach and back.  Along the way I stopped to answer a phone call, simultaneously a Pelican perched above answered a different kind of call, all over me.   Once again it was the smell, but this time it was in my hair, down my shirt, it was everywhere.  I had to walk another 2 k or so back to the car dry retching the entire way.  When we finally got back to the car I took off my t shirt and drove home in my bra.  By that stage I was completely over it and beyond caring what I looked like.   Pelican Poo Incident 2 has taken a little while to get over but over it I must be as I still love Pelicans.  

I even have this fabulous one at the front door!