Strand Feeding
These Bottle Nosed Dolphins are not in any danger. They are "Strand Feeding" This is a learned technique and according to National Geographic it only occurs in a couple of places in the world. The Low Country of South Carolina where I live is one of them. They begin by teaming up and driving the bait fish into a ball and then they drive them to the shore of one of the muddy banks of the salt water marshes. They then flip the bait up onto the shore with their tails, and then they hurl themselves onto the shore to feed. It is an amazing sight to see, and I was lucky enough to capture it with my camera, from my good friend Randy Smith's boat. (Randy is a local Real Estate professional on Hilton Head Island) After they eat they slide back into the water and begin the process all over again. This only occurs at low tide and between now and December.
Uploaded on October 12, 2011