On Thursday, Times photojournalist Skip O'Rourke spotted this group of White Pelicans in a pond in Brandon. We were intrigued by the way the birds work together to catch food, and admittedly, a bit amused by the spectacle. Use the slider over the photo, moving from side to side, to see two views of the birds working together.

Skip says: "What first caught my eye was the birds' size, and their long glides as they flew above the pond in Brandon. As many as three dozen pelicans landed like bombers with military precision, one behind the other. Then I watched them form a tight group, looking for fish and swimming in unison. When they spotted the fish, I was amazed how they formed a line, occasionally beating their wings on the water. As they drew the fish up into shallower water, the birds circled them and each tried to grab a fish. I was so used to seeing our brown pelicans near the beaches and causeways, each diving for their own meal, that the white pelicans' teamwork was stunning to see. But I had to chuckle each time they put their heads into the water, and all I could see was a circle of pelican tails."

American White Pelicans encircle nesting nile perch in a pond off of Parsons Avenue in Brandon Thursday, March 17. Unlike the local brown pelicans that residents see diving for food, the white pelicans work as a team driving fish into shallow water, then encircling them and driving their bills into the water to grab the fish. The American White Pelican is one of the largest birds in North America, weighing as much as 30 pounds with a wingspan of 110 inches. They migrate from northern central United States and Canada and spend winters along the gulf coast from Florida to Mexico. They arrive in early November and make the return trip from the Gulf of Mexico back north around April. [SKIP O'ROURKE | Times]

>>Gallery (18 images)

The 75th annual Florida Strawberry Festival wraps up at the end of Sunday, March 14 at the Florida Strawberry Festival grounds, 2202 W Reynolds St., in Plant City.

Colorful lights illuminate the night at the Florida Strawberry Festival on Friday, March 12. [CHRIS ZUPPA, Times] ... Read more

Michael Potter of Chicago makes his way up the ferris wheel to change burned out light bulbs. Temperatures in the mid to upper 50's and a stiff breeze greeted workers at the Florida State Fairgrounds Wednesday as they prepared for the opening on Friday. [SKIP O'ROURKE, Times] ... Read more

The Jose Gasparilla heads down Seddon Channel toward the city of Tampa. [SKIP O'ROURKE, Times] ... Read more

A flower lays on a frosted leaf Thursday in Palm Harbor during the record-breaking cold morning which began with icy windshields, grounded planes at Tampa International Airport and worried farmers. The National Weather Service said records were broken overnight in Tampa, Lakeland and Sarasota. Tampa's low was 27 degrees, with the previous coldest low for the date at 30 degrees in 1999. At 27 degrees Thursday, Lakeland broke a 1980 low record temperature of 34 degrees. Sarasota's low Thursday was 30 degrees, which broke a 1999 record of 35 degrees. [DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD, Times] ... Read more

It may look like snow, but that's fire-retardant foam that Juan Gonzalez is cleaning up on 5th Ave. S. in St. Petersburg in front of All Children's Hospital Friday morning. The foam came from testing the system that is designed to put out a fire on the roof's helipad in the event of a fire or fuel spill, according to the hospital's safety director Larry Green. "This is a sophisticated system with jets that cover the helipad in a 2-minute time frame," said Green. The non-hazardous, water-based foam was cleaned up by crews throughout the course of the morning. It will be the last time the system is tested, said Green. Last month a similar test sent foam floating through downtown St. Petersburg, prompting phone calls to the fire department from the curious. [LARA CERRI Times] ... Read more

Bryanna Hudson, 14, and Marquasia Bennett, 6, spot friends on the ground while riding atop the ferris wheel at the Sacred Heart Fall Festival Wednesday. Marquasia celebrated her sixth birthday at the event, which continues through Sunday at 7809 46th Way N. in Pinellas Park. The event includes food, drinks, games, rides, entertainment and raffle prizes. Admission and parking are free. Festival hours are Oct 14-16, 6-11pm; Oct. 17 12pm-11pm; and Oct. 18 12pm-8pm. [LARA CERRI, Times] ... Read more

Hudson's Tricea Bridges, 15, left, and Courtney Johnson, 14, right, swim laps in the dive well during a break the Mitchell vs. Hudson swim meet at Hudson Veterans Memorial Park Wednesday night. [WILL VRAGOVIC, Times] ... Read more

Sgt. First Class Michael Spaulding left for Afghanistan in June for a year-long tour with the C Company 4/23 5th Striker Brigade, US Army out of Fort Lewis, Washington. His three children expected him back for a two-week leave in March but the dates got pushed up and his wife Tammy kept the secret so he could surprise them at school Wednesday. [WILL VRAGOVIC, Times] READ THE STORY: For a soldier home from Afghanistan, the day brings three sweet reunions ... Read more