Pelecanus crispus – the Dalmatian Pelican – is one of several contenders for the “heavyweight title” among the world’s living, flying birds.
This most massive of pelicans has a median weight of around 11.5 kilograms.
Competitive-minded Australian patriots can take some consolation in knowing that our slightly less massive Pelecanus conspicillatus (Australian Pelican) has the largest beak of any living bird species.
Depending on whether they do or do not need to escape severe winters, Dalmatian Pelicans fly considerable distances to-fro, each year, or they live within a narrower home range, year-round.
India’s Dalmatian pelicans are winter migrants, flying to-fro Central Asia or Russia.
Discover more, here.
I took this post’s photo on 15 February 2020, about one hour after the sun rose over a wetland near Jamnagar, Gujarat, Western India.
Pelicans inspired a fine English fingerpicker to create one of his loveliest pieces.
The Pelican is on his 1979 album The Black Balloon.
John Renbourn (1944-2015) is often described as an “acoustic guitarist” but he was also a fine electric guitarist – and a rather more able sitarist than was a certain Liverpudlian Harrison.
Here, Renbourn is both acoustic and (overdubbed) electric guitarist:
I love John Renbourn, Particularly “Sir John a lot of” which unfortunately I am no longer able to play as my turntable died last night, rip Dual 506 25/03/2020.