Smithsonian magazine's 22nd Annual Photo Contest | Made possible through the support of MPB.com

19th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Pelicans air surfing the waves on Amelia Island.

Living near the beach, I always grab a camera in case anything interesting occurs. On this day, the pelicans were busy fishing that morning but later, were just doing flybys. This image shows them skimming just above the water, riding the air currents above the waves, like they were surfing.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 09.2020
Date Uploaded: 11.2021
Photo Location: Fernandina Beach, Florida, United States of America
Camera: COOLPIX P900
Copyright: © Breck DeWitt