Airlift

They maybe ungainly on land, stately on the water but unquestionably masters of flight in the air. Australian Pelicans Pelecanus conspicillatus soaring on the airlift from updrafts circled briefly overhead as they gained height for their flight to another part of the waterway.

Found on waterways throughout Australia and at present in huge numbers to breed at Lake Eyre in central Australia that is experiencing one of its rare periods of flood. In our area we have a resident population that is boosted by birds from the interior during periods of drought.