American White Pelican

One Funny Looking American White Pelican Photo

By |2021-04-09T18:53:49-06:00August 26th, 2017|Categories: American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

To me it looks like this American White Pelican was doing an impression of a floating, domestic white turkey because when the pelican was facing me nearly head on the length of pelican's long bill seemed to disappear

Missing the Birds of Bear River MBR & Spring Migration

By |2024-03-27T06:30:01-06:00April 9th, 2017|Categories: American Avocets, American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Black-crowned Night Herons, Box Elder County, Clark's Grebes, Double-crested Cormorants, Long-billed Dowitchers, Short-eared Owls, Utah, Wilson's Phalaropes|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge auto tour route is still closed and many of the birders, bird photographers and nature lovers are itching to know what birds are there because after all spring migration is an exciting time at the refuge.

American White Pelicans – PeliCam and PeliTrack

By |2023-09-04T11:33:49-06:00March 26th, 2017|Categories: American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

American White Pelicans are returning to their breeding grounds in Utah and I have already seen a few of them myself and though I haven't been able to photograph them yet I know I will soon.

American White Pelicans, Sandhill Cranes, Swainson’s Hawks – Spring Migrants On The Wing

By |2021-03-02T13:56:20-07:00February 19th, 2017|Categories: American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Bicknell Bottoms Wildlife Management Area, Birds, Box Elder County, Sandhill Cranes, Swainson's Hawks, Utah, Wayne County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

We still have our winter birds and the spring migrants have begun their journey north so my bird photography is likely to pick up and get exciting soon if the clouds will give me a break.

American White Pelican in flight over Farmington Bay WMA – They Are Migrating

By |2022-09-29T08:05:24-06:00October 10th, 2016|Categories: American White Pelicans, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

If you would like to follow some of the American White Pelicans from Utah on migration a few of them have been fitted with solar-powered GPS transmitter backpacks and the PeliTrack map shows their locations.

Birds of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge – Celebrating National Wildlife Refuge Week

By |2024-03-25T06:14:35-06:00October 9th, 2016|Categories: American Avocets, American White Pelicans, Bald Eagles, Barn Owls, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Black-crowned Night Herons, Black-necked Stilts, Box Elder County, Redheads, Rough-legged Hawks, Sandhill Cranes, Tree Swallows, Tundra Swans, Utah, Virginia Rails, Western Grebes, White-faced Ibises|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This is National Wildlife Refuge Week and in celebration I wanted to do a pictorial essay that includes some of my images of the Birds of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

Photographing Pelicans, Herons, Egrets and Geese in Flight in Rapidly Changing Light

By |2024-02-13T16:14:33-07:00August 8th, 2016|Categories: American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Canada Geese, Great Blue Herons, Snowy Egrets, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I had a great deal of fun photographing the pelicans, herons, egrets and geese in flight in the rapidly changing light yesterday morning at Bear River MBR.

An Extreme Variation of Supplemental Plumage in an American White Pelican

By |2023-08-16T03:40:15-06:00July 29th, 2016|Categories: American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Two days ago while on the auto tour loop at Bear River MBR an American White Pelican caught my eyes because of its unusually dark crown, nape, and neck plumage.

American White Pelican in summer plumage

By |2021-04-09T18:58:05-06:00July 4th, 2016|Categories: American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

I wanted to share an image of an American White Pelican in summer plumage today because summer is upon us and today marks America's Independence Day.

American White Pelican Flight Over Bear River MBR

By |2021-04-09T19:00:30-06:00June 16th, 2016|Categories: American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One of my favorite things is to see is squadrons of American White Pelicans wheeling in the sky high overhead circling until they are out of sight.

American White Pelican in a fog at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge

By |2021-04-09T19:03:57-06:00October 5th, 2015|Categories: American White Pelicans, Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

This American White Pelican image was taken on my first camping trip to Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge

Fishing American White Pelican at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

By |2021-04-09T05:01:32-06:00September 20th, 2015|Categories: American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

This American White Pelican image was taken in July near the auto tour loop at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and I like how it shows the pelican fishing for food.

An Assortment of Birds from Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge This Week

By |2024-03-07T05:45:35-07:00July 26th, 2015|Categories: American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Mourning Doves, Northern Pintails, Sandhill Cranes, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I posted a juvenile Wilson's Phalarope and today I am posting an assortment of others birds I photographed the same day at Bear River NWR.

American White Pelican Reflection

By |2021-04-09T19:09:33-06:00July 23rd, 2015|Categories: American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

Every once in a while I find myself attracted to an image not just because of the subject but also because of reflections and this American White Pelican image is one of those.

The Great Salt Lake is D(r)ying and Utah’s Water Crisis

By |2024-03-28T05:23:38-06:00April 26th, 2015|Categories: American White Pelicans, Antelope Island State Park, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Black-necked Stilts, Box Elder County, Brine Flies, Conservation, Davis County, Eared Grebes, Environment, Franklin's Gulls, Northern Shovelers, Utah, Wilson's Phalaropes|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One thing I know for certain is that we can't drink dust.

American White Pelican Portraits

By |2021-04-09T19:18:55-06:00September 30th, 2014|Categories: American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

It isn't all that often that I am able to obtain portraits of wild birds so when I had an opportunity last month to take portraits of this American White Pelican I jumped at the chance.

American White Pelican and a cloudy sky

By |2023-09-18T17:59:07-06:00July 2nd, 2014|Categories: American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

If you ever get to Utah be sure to try to spend a morning or even a full day at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge because there is always something great going on there!

Earth Day 2014

By |2022-04-22T04:08:47-06:00April 22nd, 2014|Categories: American White Pelicans, Antelope Island State Park, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Capitol Reef National Park, Coyotes, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It is Earth Day and I wanted to write about it this morning. A LOT of good has come from everyone's involvement in Earth Day but there is still so much to be done.

Long billed Birds and Preening

By |2021-09-09T04:06:18-06:00March 7th, 2014|Categories: American Oystercatchers, American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Long-billed Curlews, Roseate Spoonbills|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Preening in birds is essential for keeping their feathers clean, arranged correctly and for some birds it is a way to distribute oils from the uropygial gland which helps to keep the feathers clean and healthy.

Comparing American White Pelicans to Brown Pelicans

By |2024-02-22T14:17:45-07:00February 23rd, 2014|Categories: American White Pelicans, Birds, Brown Pelicans, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The recent arrival of American White Pelicans to the Salt Lake Valley started me thinking about the differences between Brown Pelicans and American White Pelicans.

The Advantages of Photographing Birds Close to Home

By |2023-02-05T07:51:17-07:00February 18th, 2014|Categories: American Coots, American White Pelicans, Birds, Pied-billed Grebes, Red-breasted Mergansers, Ring-necked Ducks, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Many beginning photographers dream of taking images in far off places of exotic birds and there is nothing wrong with that. But we shouldn’t overlook the advantages of photographing birds close to home.

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge after spring has sprung

By |2024-03-22T09:01:14-06:00February 17th, 2014|Categories: American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Cliff Swallows, Marsh Wrens, Utah, Western Grebes, White-faced Ibises, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The snow has melted in the Salt Lake Valley where temps have been unseasonably warm thanks to the "Pineapple Express" and although winter hasn't left it has begun to feel like spring which means it won't be long before spring has sprung up all over Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge!

Caution: Spring Birds Ahead

By |2024-02-28T10:37:55-07:00February 13th, 2014|Categories: American Avocets, American White Pelicans, Antelope Island State Park, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It won't be long before the American White Pelicans are back at Bear River National Wildlife Refuge which is where I photographed the pelican in the image above last spring.

Nine Foot Wingspans – American White Pelicans

By |2021-04-09T19:28:32-06:00August 2nd, 2013|Categories: American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday while on the auto tour route of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge the birds that I saw in the highest numbers were American White Pelicans.

Big, Beautiful American White Pelicans

By |2023-09-18T18:02:11-06:00May 24th, 2013|Categories: American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge there were two American White Pelicans that were close enough to photograph as they floated on the Bear River, it was a cloudless morning so the river was a gorgeous blue which always sets off the whites of these big, beautiful birds.

Some of the Birds I Love at Bear River National Wildlife Refuge

By |2024-03-22T09:18:28-06:00February 6th, 2013|Categories: American Avocets, American White Pelicans, Barn Owls, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Black-crowned Night Herons, Black-necked Stilts, Box Elder County, Duck hybrids, Eastern Kingbirds, Forster's Terns, Marsh Wrens, Snowy Egrets, Swainson's Hawks, Tundra Swans, Utah, Western Grebes, Western Kingbirds, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One of my favorite locations to photograph birds in northern Utah is Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. I've selected some of the birds there that delight and entertain me while I observe and photograph them.

Birds of Bear River MBR – American White Pelicans

By |2023-12-20T09:07:25-07:00June 7th, 2012|Categories: American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is an excellent location for finding and photographing American White Pelicans who have wing spans of over nine feet.

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