Early this morning, a pelican dozed on the banks of Manly Dam:

I’ve never seen a pelican asleep before. It looked a bit weird and back-to-front.

At one stage, the pelican decided a yawn was in order:

That pesky pouch beneath its beak got a bit tangled and inside-out:

Once that mess was sorted, the pelican manoeuvred its beak sideways onto its back:

With the beak nicely pointed straight down its back, the bird folded its wings over the beak. A bit like a bat, but the right way up!

Optimal sleeping position achieved:

Here’s the same bird, awake and looking as well put together as a pelican can:

It’s not often that you see a pelican at Manly Dam. I’m pretty sure this is a first for me, though I’ve seen them often on the beaches around Sydney.

Common name: Australian Pelican
Scientific name: Pelecanus conspicillatus
Approximate length: 170 cm
Approximate wingspan: 2.5m
Date spotted: 9 September 2024 (spring)
Location: Manly Dam Park, New South Wales, Australia: 33°46’31.2″S 151°14’46.6″E