Thread: Sam (aka Samantha) the Pelican

We have recently been told that Sam the Pelican is a girl. so her name is really Samantha and Sam is her nickname.
Sam hangs out on the Octi from time to and trades Photo Opps for fresh fish. She showed up in the early fall of 2010 following the BP Spill. We suspect Sam was a rescued Pelican and took a liking to attention from humans, but we don’t know for sure. Sam has a leg band, but inquiries got no response that I know of.
During the summer she splits time between the pier and the charter boat fish cleaning stations in Orange Beach.
When you meet Sam, she will definitely pose for the camera and if she’s in the mood you can pet him. Just approach him slowly and talk to him like he was a pet.


Caution – If Sam doesn’t want to play, she will let you know. Her wing flapping is worse than her bite. Just ask Elizabeth!

great pictures :headbang: everytime I'm out there I never see him haha

^^^ I saw him for the first time Wed. I was fighting a fish so I couldnt get over to him.

Finally saw him friday afternoon and he was in a good mood...he flew over to me wanting one of the flounder I caught haha.

[size=12pt]I guess Sam didn’t see nor care about the “No Soliciting” signs. [/size] :moon:

Sam's getting famous. This thread ranks 4th in google for sam the pelican.

[size=14pt]Don’t let Sam know she is famous, she already thinks she owns the place! [/size]

Hmmm, me thinks there may be an imposter in our midst! ???
This pic from Fall 2011 shows "Sam" in yearling (1st year) plumage ('speckled' belly)


While this pic from Fall 2010 shows "Sam" in juvenile (2nd year) plumage ('white' belly)


Not to throw water on Sam's fire (or pierfolklore), but these pictures would seem to indicate that "Sam" is actually more than a single individual (one or two years old).
Available descriptions (http://www.ms-starship.com/sciencenew/brown_pelican.htm) tell us:

Juveniles are generally brown above and white below and it takes them about three years to attain their adult plumage.

Perhaps we see so many subadult pelicans at the GSPPier because the pelican rookery on Gaiilard Island (in Mobile Bay) is fairly close.
Yearlings and juveniles are the ones that are so bold as to impose on humans (fishermen) and have not yet perfected their own fishing skills.
I wonder if feeding these birds helps them survive, or are we 'contributing to the delinquency of pelicans' which would naturally die otherwise?
No doubt they can be a PITA sometimes (begging and snatching fish, not to mention the poop) and I can't help but think of the problems fishermen now have in Florida with bottle nose dolphins after years of feeding them. ???

^^^ Buzzkiller!

How many pelicans are there with metal rings around their foot? Maybe some one needs to hold Sam down and see if there is any info on it.

Yeah I know :-[

My next anouncement post concerns Santa Claus ???

The numbers on the pelican ID anklets will tell the story

Merry Christmas everybody!