Open to unique relationships
Mother Nature used her swirly paint bush filling the sky with a breathtaking pink and purple color show. The flock of gulls flew in ready for bath time.
One Legger stopped mid air with a power stance reminding us to embrace our strengths. She said, “What you focus on is what you create, so I put my energy on my strengths which keeps me strong.”
Pelican Highway was gorgeous flying southbound over the waves. After sunrise I saw Danika the dolphin and a cormorant grabbing snacks together. They bring us an interesting combo message.
Danika the dolphin reminds us how laughter and play can shift our energy. She asks us to be open to unique relationships that fulfill our desires.
The cormorant joined in saying, ”Being adaptable is a great way to be in the flow. The dolphin and I might seem like strange friends but because I can adapt to different situations, she and I make for great fishing partners. Our symbiotic relationship helps me thrive.”
Wishing you a symbiotic kind of day friends!
It’s safe to move forward
The morning started with soft cotton ball clouds and fog giving us a serene start to the day. The flock of gulls flew in in perfect formation ready for bath time. Hook was engaging and wanted to stay close with One legger at her side.
2 gulls in the flock were hugging mid air enjoying a quick loving moment. They said, ”Even a quick hug feeds the soul.”
As the sun came up the fluffy clouds changed to pink while the wet sand mirrored the beauty in the sky.
A reddish egret came prancing down the beach. They are beautiful birds with a tremendous amount of style and grace. As she grabbed snacks she said, “Go ahead, lean in, one step at a time. It’s safe to move forward, join me in letting go so we can step forward.”
Wishing you a beautiful day friends!
Mid air kisses and hugs
Reddish egret saying lean and step forward….one step at a time
Tattered…proof of living life
Yipppeeeeeeee! Although the layer of fog was thick, the sun made it through, big and bright bringing us warmth and light for a new day.
And, I am so excited hook the laughing gull is back!
The birds leave for the summer and when they start returning for the winter, it’s always exciting to be reunited. She said, “I bring the the message of reconnecting with old friends.”
Pelican Highway traffic was light, flying both directions. A solo cormorant with tattered wings was flying on the highway bringing us the message of opening to new experiences and taking risks.
As she flew by she said, “Not to worry or overthink, take action knowing everything will work out in your favor. Sure you might feel a bit tattered, but that just proof of a life well lived.”
And if that wasn’t enough a woodpecker was hanging out as I left the beach. He said, “Pay attention, opportunities are knocking. Changes are afoot, be ready to seize the moment.”
Wishing you an amazing day friends!
Hook the laughing gull is back!
Cormorant
Pelican
Woodpecker
Thank you for all your support!
It felt good to be back at sunrise! Mother Nature gave us clouds, rain, fog, the sun and even a rainbow for about 20 seconds. The morning started out with fifty shades of grey and a hint of peach. Eventually the sun came out to bring us a golden hazy and rainy glow.
The flock flew in hot and chatty, so good to see them again. Floppy and One legger were in the flock. The flock and I would like to say thank you so much for all your support and encouragement.
The thing about Florida weather is it can change in a minute bringing us the message of change. Sometimes changes come in an instant other times it unfolds over time. Either way change is a constant. The flock said, "Roll with it, embrace it, change brings fresh and new experiences."
Wishing you a very happy day filled with love and gratitude.
Thank you so much for your support!
New moon energy bringing hope
With another overcast day and rain, I’m improvising for the daily sunrise post. This post is inspired by the new moon. Although the new moon is today you can feel the energy of it all week. New moons bring us the energy of fresh starts and new beginnings.
This particular moon is bringing us a much needed sense of hope and optimism. You can use this energy to give yourself a reset. Be open to new chapters starting with fresh perspectives.
Prepare to be inspired by new thoughts, a spiritual awareness and a newfound sense of hope. This is a great time to set new intentions for your heart’s desire.
The laughing gull duo bring the message of new beginnings with your flock. Whether you are rebooting a current relationship or starting new ones, the new moon will assist you.
I chose to feature Simba, a playful, young dolphin who brings smiles to everyone he sees. He said, “Joy and play are infectious and can help you manifest what you truly desire.”
Wishing you a groovy day friends!
A daily dose of snuggle
Good Morning! Instead of grey, overcast photos I thought I’d share a blast of baby dolphin energy to start your day. I was pleasantly surprised when the rain was delayed so I could meet a new mom and young dolphin.
This maternity pod consists of several adults and this little nugget. This wee one was going zoom zoom all over the lagoon and cuddling, nursing with her momma. The adults were taking turns hanging with the nugget when the momma went to grab snacks.
They bring the message of support for the community. They said, “Raising a baby takes a village, especially when the claves are at the age to go zoom zoom. Sure we enjoy time alone, but mostly we use the power of the pod for support, companionship and to thrive.”
“And, as you know dolphins love to cuddle and hug. Babies especially, they love to roll on the parents, cuddle and snuggle. Affection and touch are natural for us, we highly recommend a daily dose of snuggle.”
Wishing you a groovy day friends!
Blue Heron flying in the join the fun
Mom and baby
Look Ma!
Baby plays Peek a boo
Pop goes the baby
Adult zoom zoom
2 adults with the little one. It takes a village
Hugs and kisses change your mood
We are having another overcast, moody blues kind of sunrise today, so instead of grey photos I thought I’d share a little sunshine and a manatee love fest.
Manatees bring the message of being open and trusting. They are gentle giants who asks us to slow down go with the flow and enjoy the moment.
They said, “To eliminate stress in your life, take time to kick up your feet and share a few kisses and hugs. Hugs and kisses can increase serotonin and shift your mood.”
Wishing you a cozy day in the flow friends!
Manatees mating
Manatees hugging
Manatees mating
Tales from the lagoon ~ Episode - Pelican Soap Opera
Tales from the Lagoon~ Episode- Pelican Soap Opera
Today was the first day I have seen Pip since Monday. 5 days is the most he stays away and that has only happened 3 times since March. If you are just tuning in Pip’s full story is posted just a few blogs back.
Our little pelican is growing up! He is starting to change color, he looks a little faded so looks a little grey rather than dark brown. He has a little white around his eyes and brown spots showing up on his white belly that are very noticeable when he is wet.
His mood was different today too. He was grumpy! I think he is officially heading in the terrible twos or teenager land as he molts.
It’s possible he is grumpy that more pelicans hanging out in his space. Patches comes everyday and hangs out on his pole. A new and seemingly very young pelican I call Eddie is hanging out now too. Eddie looks like Eddie Munster. Eddie had a fish hook with line in his beak. Lucky for him I have a friend who joined me to get the hook out.
And, Freckles hasn’t been quite right since Hurricane Nicole. He’s been dizzy and disoriented since the storm. He eyes are red and seems to have trouble seeing. He’s actually quite sweet. He has a lot to say….more from him in a later post.
Pip doesn’t like sharing his territory with his pelican friends so it will be interesting to see how the this unfolds. Oh the drama!
Stay tuned for Tales from the Lagoon. Or for this episode we need a soap opera name, any suggestions? Days of our Pelicans….As the Lagoon turns……All my Children.
Sunday sunrise is the previous post.
Pip watching a couple ladies on the dock
Showing off his wing span
Hanging out with the dolphins of course
Resting on his pole to avoid the wind
Pip in the front, with Eddie Munster to the right and Patches in the back
Embrace your floppiness
With rain in the forecast, the cloud cover gave a cozy blanket kind of sunrise. 25 mph wind gusts gave us an invigorating feeling. The color show was gorgeous started with purple and grey with a dash of pink.
Mother Nature activated her cloud peace ray forming a peace sign in the clouds. She asks us to be the peace we want to see in the world.
The flock of gulls flew in hot using the wind to hang in place. When they finally landed, they put their heads toward the wind. They said, “We believe in going head first into the elements. You see embracing ‘what is’ helps us stay in the moment.”
Floppy the laughing gull who stole my heart a while ago was in the flock this morning. She got her name because she always has her wings hanging out and down. She can fly and walk like everyone else.
I said. “How do you stay in place without your wings becoming sails blowing you down the beach? She said, “I’ve learned what I resist just persists. So I embrace my floppiness. My secret is to ground into my feet so I’m solid like a rock.”
Wishing you a grounded and groovy day friends!
Mother Nature used her cloud peace ray encouraging us to be the peace we want to see in the world
Floppy the Laughing Gull. She got her name from her wings flopping down by her side
Trust the timing
Weeeeeeeeeee! The wind was whipping again this morning. The flock of chatty gulls were hanging in place then darting off and returning.
The channel marker was getting blown around by the wind and waves bringing us the message of getting bumped around but always popping back up. “It’s true sometimes the waves can knock us sideways but with time we will right ourselves. Like the buoy, we are resilient.”
The sun came up sending out beautiful rays of light adding to the beauty of the day. The masterful painting reflected on the wet sand with a heart opening feeling.
After sunrise a pelican was diving for snacks bring us the message. She said, “Go ahead, dive in. Whether you catch your fish or not, enjoy all the aspects of the experience. Trust in the timing, know things are lining up for you behind the scenes.”
Wishing you a beautiful day friends!
Pelican with the head in the water….trust the timing
Get Close and dive in!
With a blanket of fluffy and wispy clouds the morning was cozy. The color palette was a mix of fifty shades of grey and moody blues with a hint of pretty in pink.
It was a bit chilly for sunny Florida but that didn’t stop the flock of gulls from fling in to enjoy a little bath time.
The sun came up looking like a pink flying saucer peeking through the grey clouds. After sunrise a pod a dolphin and a Pip the pelican look alike came in to enjoy cuddles and breakfast.
The Pip the pelican imposter was grabbing snacks up close and personal said, “Go ahead, get close and dive in. It’s fun!”
Dolphins enjoying cuddles and snacks said, “The pelican is right, closeness is fun! Let’s connect with eye contact, hugs and splashes. The best part is touch and connection can shift your mood.”
Wishing you a fun filled day friends!
Eye See You. (Pip Imposter)
Get close and dive in!
Kickin’ It
Tales from the Lagoon ~ Episode - Post Hurricane Party!
Tales from the Lagoon ~ Episode - Post Hurricane Party! (I’m late getting this posted)
Yesterday the wind was still whipping and the lagoon was choppy but that didn’t stop the party! It was literally raining pelicans! Must have been 60 pelicans rapid fire diving for snacks.
They used the wind to hang in place until just the right moment to plunge into the water grabbing the fish.
When they were not diving they headed to the nearby concrete wall for rest. Meanwhile the dolphin were enjoying lots of hugs and kisses and flying out of the water just for fun.
Several cormorants have arrived in sunny Florida for the winter and were also in attendance. Can’t wait to see what today brings!
Stay tuned for more tales!
Tales from the Lagoon ~ Episode- Splash Zone is the Fun Zone
Tales from the Lagoon ~ Episode- Splash Zone is the Fun Zone
Some days it’s hard to get a photo of the dolphin because they are having so much fun making splashes and wake.
On this day 2 dolphins were enjoying chasing snacks, teasing the pelicans but mostly they were having a blast going zoom zoom creating huge splashes.
The pelicans got drenched in the huge wall of water but that didn’t stop them from trying to catch a fish escaping the dolphin.
The joy vibe from them was contagious!
Stay tuned for more tales!
Change your view for new solutions
With 20 mph wind gusts and a cool temperature the morning felt very invigorating. The morning sky filled with an explosion of colors giving the morning a hopeful vibe.
One Legger and her flock flew in extra hot courtesy of the wind. They hovered in place for long periods of time with the moon just above them. The sun came up beyond the churning waves. The tops of the waves were blowing in the wind.
The sun brought a much needed warmth and light adding to the theme of vitality.
The flock brings us a message of perspective. They said, “We encourage looking at life from a different view. You see when you change angle of how you see things, you can find new solutions. The clarity will help you soar above the problem giving you hope of moving forward.”
One of the little laughing gulls waled over close to say good morning. She said, “Take each day one step at a time. That makes things easier to manageable.”
Wishing you a groovy day friends!
One step at a time
Know when to come close and when to retreat
A layer of clouds looking like cotton balls covered the sky like a cozy blanket. Pelican Highway cruised southbound over the the emerald colored waves rolling toward shore.
The flock of gulls flew in for our usual bath time and chat. One Legger and crew stopped to say hello.
Our message today of discernment comes from Patches the Pelican and small turtle crossing the road. Patches wanted to be very close while the turtle wanted a little space.
They said, “We bring the message of knowing when to connect with closeness and when to retreat for a time out. Balance with both keeps us centered. Be kind with yourself if you want to hang out in your shell for a bit knowing you can come back out and get up close and personal with your flock when you feel inspired.”
Wishing you a beautiful day friends!
A little box turtle
Patches flying in to spend time together
Patches the pelican
Expect unexpected beauty
Inhale, Exhale, Repeat.
Instead of the usual intense fall colors Mother Nature went with an ethereal feel with soft fluffy clouds. The pre sunrise sky filled with a romantic pink glow adding to the serene vibe that eventually changed to a beautiful golden glow.
The flock of gulls flew in how and chatty hanging out in place savoring the moment. One Legger and friend bring us their usual message of slowing down to soak up the moment. They added, “Life is sweeter when you fly with your flock.”
After sunrise I was surprised to see a blue heron hanging on Ozzie and Harriet’s boat. Ozzie and Harriet are a lovely pigeon couple.
Big Blue said, “I bring the message of expecting unexpected beauty and connections.” He went on to say, “As you can see I have long skinny legs. Despite being thin, they are very strong. As long as I am present and grounded into my legs I can relax my toes and feel sturdy.”
Wishing you a beautiful day friends!
Use your past to guide you forward
The sun looked like a burning coal as it came up behind the wall of clouds on the horizon. The salty breeze and roaring ocean adding to the energizing vibe. Splashing waves and the sun came sun came together to make beautiful art.
An egret enjoying the sunrise said, "Feel the wind on your face and hair, it adds to the full experience."
The the wet sand and every changing landscape it was like watching 10 different sunrises in one morning. A very chatty flock of gulls flew in up close and personal, bringing their big personalities with them.
The moon was high and bright in the sky surrounded by vultures enjoying a ride in the thermals. The vulture and moon bring us a combo message.
The vulture said, “I know not everyone loves me but I am an important part of the eco system. I’m here to encourage you to use all your resources and instincts. Use your past to help guide you making decisions moving forward.”
The moon is considered a refection of our hearts and emotions. Since the moon is waning, it means something may not be fully illuminated at this time. The moon encourages you to follow the vulture wisdom by using your emotions as your GPS, especially when you feel confused. They can direct you toward the path that supports your highest consciousness.
Wishing you a beautiful day friends!
Pippa and the Pokey Fish
Hi I’m Pip the Pelican and I’m here to share my journey with you.
March 23, 2022 was a scary day for me. You see I’m an immature brown pelican which is a fancy way to say I’m young and still learning lots. One day, I was really hungry and I ate a filleted fish carcass of a sheepshead.
This fish has sharp spikes that got caught in my gullet also known as my pouch. No matter what I did, I couldn’t get it unstuck. It was awful, but I guess I’m lucky because my pouch didn’t tear. I couldn’t eat or fly so I sat on the edge of the water for a couple days wondering what to do.
I can’t remember if the fish was given to me or if I found it in the water, but either way, I think it’s best if fisherfolk don’t trust us birds not to eat the pokey fish.
6 people came to my rescue, 3 of them held me and had their hands in my gullet to turn the fish around, getting it unstuck to pull it out. It felt like I had a porcupine in my mouth.
I was weak and nauseous and although it was scary having all those hands on me, I knew they were trying to help. When they got the fish fish out I was so relieved, I flew a few feet away, swam to the beach and sat there for 5 days.
Shelley and the fishermen said the bird hospital is closed because of a bird flu. Shelley called a bird expert who advised the Hoomans to feed me, this of course made me very happy.
For the first 2 days I was disoriented and couldn’t see the fish they were giving me. I slept a lot in a cozy little spot in the mangroves on the beach out of the wind.
Shelley sat with me for long periods of time to keep me company. Sometimes we sat quietly together and other times she was giving me pep talks about getting my own fish.
Spot the egret joined in and sat with us too! Spot is smaller than me but very loud. I met Mikey the great egret at this time too. He’s tall and a very good fisher bird.
That’s Mikey on my right and Spot behind me
3 days after the fish was removed when I was sitting with Shelley I decided it would be a good time to get the bugs off and so I waddled in into the water and flapped my wings, splashing around in the cool water. Shelley said, it was like taking the best shower ever. She was very excited that I was feeling up to grooming. This was a good day!
It took me 5 more days to be able to fly further than 15 feet, at first it was hard to get up in the air but when I did, it felt amazing! I couldn’t go very far at first, it took a couple more days to be able to really fly. At this point when Shelley gave me food she would throw it so I had to chase it, but these fish were not alive so It was easy for me to catch them
10 days post pokey fish I could really fly! And boy was that a relief. For a bird, being grounded isn’t a good thing.
One day I was hanging with Shelley where the dolphin and other pelicans were feeding. She said, Why don’t you go see if the dolphins will toss you a fish.” I tried, but those mature pelicans are a bit intense and scared me so I pooped a lot and got out of the mayhem! I've learned only to hang out with the mom dolphins and their kids, it tends to be less crazy.
The turning point in my recovery was when I saw Shelley in the water with the dolphins along with a few fisherfolk on the dock. This was 13 days after the pokey fish removal.
Some nice fisherfolk tossed me some small fish out of a net so I could practice catching live fish. I wasn’t very good at first but it felt like pennies from heaven, it was raining little fish. A dream come true!
Something about catching live fish gave me a new confidence. I felt stronger!
The next day I ate little fish on my own for the first time! And I started diving for fish too! I wasn’t able to catch fish by diving but I tried and I tried and I tried. It took me until the next day to be able to dive and catch a fish but I did it! Shelley was there and cheered my success.
I spent the days resting on my pole, usually with Mikey or Spot resting while Shelley and the dolphins played. At night I left to sleep with my bird friends in the mangroves.
I felt pretty good until eat end of April when I started to feel really bad. I wasn’t catching enough fish on my own to thrive. Feeling really sick, I sat on the beach and waited for my Hooman friend. My pouch was sticky making it hard to swallow the fish. Shelley knew I needed more help and quickly.
After several calls, Shelley found a rehab place in St. Augustine who would take me, it was 75 miles away from New Smyrna Beach. I got to go on my first car ride!
I watched in awe as I saw horses and cows zip by the window. I have seen them from the air but this was different and although it was definitely easier than flying, I felt a little car sick.
When Shelley dropped me off the lady said, “Oh the’s not a girl, that’s a boy pelican! That’s when my name went from Pippa to Pip.
I was kept in a really nice place with lots of fish so I bellied up to the bar and I ate, and ate and ate. They gave me sardines which I had never had, and I liked them, a lot!
After a few days, they let me out to fly around with an open door to return and eat as much as I wanted. They said I could stay forever and eat as much as I wanted.
Although that was a great offer, I was homesick, so I flew home to New Smyrna Beach. It took about a day to get home. I went straight to my pole and waited for Shelley.
I was really tired and my foot hurt. Once again, calls were made and a nice bird lady examined my foot. She said I had an impact injury, probably from a bad landing. She said I needed rest and food. I liked that plan!
I slept and slept and slept for days on my pole.
I’ve come a long way! I take a bath regularly! This means I’m feeling much better. You see, when birds are sick they have lots of bugs and no energy to bathe to get them off.
See how handsome I am!
I’m curious about everything. I love to play with sticks and seaweed….well, really everything. I have bird friends now! I even have a bird bestie named Patches.
It’s 9 months post pokey fish and I’m really strong now. I’ve survived 2 hurricanes in one month! I’m starting to change colors and mature. Apparently it takes time to mature, I’m not sure what that means but as long as there is fish that’s ok with me. I know Shelley is excited to see how I look when I’m older.
I wanted to share my pokey fish story for a couple reasons.
First, I love fish, shrimp not so much, so if you are a fisherfolk and toss a fish my way I’m gonna eat it. Please don’t toss us birds those pokey fish!
Also I wanted to share how the compassion of the Hoomans saved my life. They were all so nice. So many people came together to help me.
Most importantly, I learned how healing takes time. I thought once the fish was out I would be good as new. I didn’t realize that healing was a process. It took time for my body to heal and I needed to be patient with myself.
I have learned first hand the power of compassion, patience and fish. I’m grateful for the love and support of all of you! Thank You!
I still visit Shelley almost daily so chances are you’ll be hearing more from me!
A little touch goes a long way
Ahhhhh, Mother Nature used her fall color palette this morning with deep orange, purple and gold to give us a powerful sunrise. The stunning colors in the sky reflected on the wet sand adding to the beauty.
The flock of gulls flew in to enjoy bath time. I was very excited to see Floppy the Laughing gull who keeps her wings out and to the side. This was the first time seeing her since Hurricane Nicole and she looked great! She said, “I’m a resilient little nugget. I thrive even thought I look different that then other birds.”
Pelican Highway was jamming heading southbound over the perfectly formed waves while the gulls and I got slowed it down enjoying the moment getting squeaky clean.
After sunrise a pod of dolphin popped in for an impromptu love fest. They said, “We know the power of a touch. Reaching out to hold a hand, or give a kiss and hug can make a huge impact. Just a small amount of connection can give hope and shift your mood. “
Wishing you a dolphin loving kind of day!
First Light
Flock of gulls
Pelican Highway
I love you
Floppy the laughing gull
Slowing it down, savoring the moment
Face the debris together
The morning was hazy with little color before the sunrise. A calmness returned to the ocean except for perfectly formed surfing waves.
The breeze was light as the sun came up to greet the day. The first thing I noticed when my feet hit the beach was the enormous amount of seaweed and debris from the latest hurricane. As I looked around I was overwhelmed seeing parts of homes and docks along with personal items.
I turned to the wildlife for help. Pelican Highway traffic was heavy heading southbound. When I saw them coming I said, “Can you show me a message.” At that moment two pelicans came together looking like they were holding wings. They said, “You are more resilient than you think. Whether you have mental, emotional or physical debris, the answer is to face it together.”
Piper was scurrying around nearby and suddenly stopped closing her eyes. She added, “It’s helpful to stop and take a moment to just be. That quiet moment will give you the fuel you need to take one more step when you think you can’t”.
Wishing you a beautiful day friends!
Pelican Duo
Piper taking a moment
Miles of debris from the storm