When I saw this single American White Pelican scooping its bill into the water of the marsh I turned my Jeep around to photograph it and took a few photos of the big, white bird.
American White Pelican in a marsh – Nikon D500, f8, 1/4000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
On my visit to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge last week I didn’t see large numbers of American White Pelicans but at this time of the year that is understandable because many of them are probably nesting on Gunnison Island right now. The pelicans I did see were probably taking a break from incubating eggs and they all seemed to either be actively foraging or soaring overhead. Whatever the pelicans are doing I am always happy to see and photograph them while they are here on their breeding grounds.
I felt like the pelican was sizing me and my Jeep up and trying to decide to either take flight, continue feeding or swim to a location where it felt safer. I guess that it decided that my vehicle and I weren’t a threat because it went back to scooping its bill into the water for prey but shortly after I took this image it moved forward where some tall vegetation blocked my view of the bird.
This pelican is in Definitive Alternate plumage or what is more commonly known as breeding plumage and its pouch seemed very colorful to me even though the light wasn’t especially bright at the time I took this image because of clouds in front of the sun to the east.
Bear River MBR to Gunnison Island map
Gunnison Island is surrounded by the saline waters of the Great Salt Lake. Fish aren’t found in the Great Salt Lake because it is hypersaline so the pelicans that nest on Gunnison Island fly long distances to the freshwater marshes that do have fish to feed on. By the way, access to Gunnison Island is restricted to protect the pelicans and other birds that nest there. I thought it might be interesting for anyone reading this post to see how far the pelicans fly to be able to forage and for them to bring food back to their young after they hatch. I measured the distance from approximately where I photographed the American White Pelican in my photo on the refuge to Gunnison Island where they nest.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my American White Pelican photos plus facts and information about this species.
Over the years we have had a couple of flocks of American White Pelicans on our local lake. They swam cooperatively in a line, herding the fish into a corner of the lake to feast on them. One year only one showed up. It made the same “herding” behavior alone, seeming to be able to concentrate at least a few fish in a shallow cove.
Wow — that is some commute. Amazing what animals go through. Thank you for a delightful image of a beautiful bird.
WHAT a diligent and hard working beauty. I am so glad that their breeding grounds are protected.