A Gathering

Yesterday was soggy. Really, really soggy. After torrential rains the night before and on into the morning hours, we were glad to get out for a while late yesterday. After a fully satisfying meal at Cafe New Orleans, which opened a new location here in Ocean Springs a few weeks ago, it was time for the beach ride. Though it was getting dark, and we expected that the brown pelicans had already gone to roost on their posts, we got a real surprise. Just after turning on Front Beach Road, a group of about a dozen pelicans and nearly as many laughing gulls were sitting just offshore at low tide. They were having a party! Somebody had found what must have been a bounty of food in the very shallow waters. Word spread and what ensued was a gathering of pelicans and gulls picking up an easy dinner. The pelicans - all brown heads, as the more mature pelicans have gone to nesting areas - would scoop up the unknown delicacy, pitch back their heads to swallow it and, almost immediately, scoop up another one.

Looks like Cafe New Orleans wasn't the only spot serving up fine seafood last night!