Though it’s believed that birds today are descendants of dinosaurs, they’re typically far less intimidating than their extinct counterparts are imagined to have been.
But that’s not always the case. Just ask wildlife photographer Sean Weekly.
Earlier this year, Weekly took a boat tour of Lake Kerkini, in Greece, where he came face to face with a bird almost as imposing as her ancient cousins — a Dalmatian pelican.
As Weekly rode in the charted vessel, one such pelican unexpectedly landed atop the ship’s canvas roof. But she had no plans of going unnoticed.
Moments later, this happened:
“Ambushed by a living dinosaur,” is how Weekly described the encounter in a post.
And he’s not wrong. Weighing in at up to 25 pounds, with a wingspan that can reach over 11 feet, Dalmatian pelicans certainly do strike an unforgettable figure.
A follow-up video suggests that this pelican knew exactly what she was looking for: a payment, of sorts.
For Weekly, opportunities to photograph these stunning birds made the trip one to remember.
“Without a doubt this has to be one of my favorite places that I have had the privilege of visiting for many years, the stunning Lake Kerkini in Northern Greece,” Weekly wrote. “My love for this location, the people and wildlife has allowed me to build an elaborate portfolio of these awesome birds.”
