pelicans and uplift

[Isobel Crawford <>]

The lower birds fly, the more uplift they obtain (i.e. the less energy required to move horizontally), simply because soil and water are denser than air. There are of course contra-indications which encourage them to take other factors into account!

Isobel Crawford

Australian Botanical Surveys,

POB 6031,
O'Connor ACT  2602.

02 6257 1860
0429 798 887

On 18/05/2015, at 2:29 PM, "Philip Veerman" <> wrote:

I’m unsure as to the intention of the question – location, date, frequency, flying low or over a river and is “Eur” Uriarra? Obviously Pelicans will be flying low when arriving or leaving the water, yes they also fly low some distance over rivers and lakes. I have seen this sometimes at Kambah Pool one flying for several hundred metres (till out of sight) along the river only a metre or two above it. Over places away from water they will usually fly high but that varies, probably according to how much warm air there is. I have an obs from my home on last year’s GBS chart of 3 flying very low over my home.

 

Philip

 

From: Robin Hide [mailto:robin.hide@anu.edu.au] Sent: Monday, 18 May 2015 1:54 PM    To:m("canberrabirds.org.au","canberrabirds");" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline; ">       Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] pelicans

 

And in Jan this year, the COG outing to Uriarra (Bruce Lindenmayer) reported:

http://canberrabirds.org.au/trips/uriarra-2/

 

“At Uriarra Crossing West we recorded….. a flock of 11 Australian Pelican overhead”.

 

Admittedly not “low over river” , but in the vicinity.

 

Robin

 

From: Robin Hide [mailto:robin.hide@anu.edu.au] Sent: Monday, 18 May 2015 1:26 PM    To:m("canberrabirds.org.au","canberrabirds");" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline; ">       Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] pelicans

 

Nearly two years ago (22 Nov 2013), I saw this one at Uriarra.

Robin Hide

 

-----Original Message-----From: Con Boekel [m("boekel.com.au","con");" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline; ">] Sent: Monday, 18 May 2015 1:03 PM  To: m("canberrabirds.org.au","canberrabirds");" style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline; ">
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] pelicans

 

Susan

Not very scientific but I believe that I have been at or near Uriarra Crossing about 50 times during the last 25 years without seeing a Pelican.

regards

Con

 

On 18/05/2015 11:30 AM, Suzanne EDGAR wrote:

> Is it a bit unusual to see one flying low over river @ Eur. Crossing?

> Sz

> 

> -----Original Message-----

> From: Rosemary