Pelican having trouble with lunch

I love going to St. James's Park in London.  Even though it is not particularly large, there is always something interesting happening there - especially in the bird world.

Every day the resident pelicans are fed by a keeper near Duck Cottage.  The pelicans usually swim around and around for ages while waiting for their lunch.  This pelican is just landing and is looking very keen to get some lunch.

Pelican looking very keen to get some fish

The pelicans are captive and have had their wings clipped, but they can still fly - even though they can't fly very far.  I have seen them fly along the lake.  This one must have had something wrong with it as the feathers have been shaved on one side of it's body.  I have never seen that before and I have taken lots of photographs of all the pelicans in the park.  At one time there were six of them, but now there only seem to be three - which was the original number, I believe.

Anyway, the pelican must have been too keen to get it's lunch as the fish is stuck at the top of the pelican's beak.

Pelican with fish stuck in the corner of it's beak

The poor pelican looked very uncomfortable and was jigging around trying to dislodge the fish.

Close-up of fish stuck in pelican's throat pouch

The pelican hopped around for some time and now the fish is lower, but almost horizontal across the pouch and still in the wrong position.

Backview of pelican with fish stuck sideways in it's pouch

The poor pelican had a lot of spectators during it's uncomfortable attempt at lunch and eventually turned it's back on us and managed a big swallow.  Now the fish is sliding down it's gullet.

Backview of pelican with fish sliding down it's gullet

We all cheered when the pelican had finally managed to eat it's lunch. 

Pelican with fish inside instead of outside

Glad that the ordeal was over, it decided that it did not want another morsel and hot-footed it back to the lake.

Pelican and heron

 Meanwhile, the herons knew that there were more fish available.  How this heron could manage such a huge fish, I just don't know!

Heron with large fish in it's beak