Somewhere in the ruins of Tulum, I came across this gigantic creature staring at me from such uncomfortably close quarters.Probably more than five feet long, its wings flapped at a span wider than eight feet as it swooped upon a boulder at pecking distance. The graceful bird sized me up, its blue, beady eyes intently locked into mine. I froze, staying away from the reach of any art or photography paraphernalia lest I be maimed by his beak for my transgression. After several long unrelenting moments, it let down its guard, allowing me to capture a few images digitally. The thrill of the moment was unforgettable. I later learned that the Brown Pelican is really the smaller of the eight pelican species that inhabit our planet. I enjoyed scratching its plumage with a #11 X-Acto blade, but found its elastic throat pouch the most challenging to scratch out!