Alviso Pelicans

Synchronized Swimming?

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The story of this picture:

I was hiking on the Alviso hiking paths and I spotted five pelicans in a group about 75 yards from me in the direction I was walking.
As I continued walking, three of the birds broke from the group and swam toward my direction.
They stayed about 20 feet off in the water from the raised path on which I was walking.

They swam right up to the area I was standing and seemed to be watching me.
It seemed to me that they were checking me out.
I imagined that these three were perhaps males protecting the two others who may be females

Comments about the picture:

What strikes me about this picture is that the three pelicans seemed to be in exact formation and synchronization.
They adapted this formation immediately upon leaving the other two and heading toward me.
Same body and neck attitude, same bill angle, even spacing, and even their paddling seems to be in sync.
All three have their wings slightly raised to make their body size seem more formidable.

This photo was shot October 24, 2012 in Alviso.
Camera: NIKON COOLPIX S6300