{"id":19825,"date":"2015-02-08T05:29:56","date_gmt":"2015-02-08T12:29:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=19825"},"modified":"2025-07-13T05:45:30","modified_gmt":"2025-07-13T10:45:30","slug":"american-white-pelicans-in-the-spotlight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/02\/08\/american-white-pelicans-in-the-spotlight\/","title":{"rendered":"American White Pelicans In The Spotlight"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AmericanAmerican White Pelican in the spotlight – Nikon D200, f7.1, 1\/800, ISO 400, -1.0 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

I give up on having a “normal” winter here in northern Utah so I am starting to dream about migration and the birds I will see in the spring. This has been the “winter that wasn’t” and I don’t think that is going to change.<\/p>\n

I know that before long I will be seeing big, white birds wheeling in the sky overhead, floating on the Bear River in Box Elder County or feeding at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge<\/span><\/a>. Those big, white birds are American White Pelicans with their nearly 9 foot wingspans and long bills.<\/p>\n

I always seemed to have a hard time getting close to American White Pelicans that over wintered in Florida but I don’t have that problem here in Utah where they breed.<\/p>\n

\"AmericanAmerican White Pelican gliding by over my head – Nikon D300, f7.1, 1\/1250, ISO 400, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

I’m able to enjoy American White Pelicans close up here from late February until as late as December some years but typically I stop seeing them around the early part of November. So, since the temperatures have been so much warmer than normal I wouldn’t be surprised to see American White Pelicans any day now.<\/p>\n

Not surprised at all.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my American White Pelican photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So, since the temperatures have been so much warmer than normal I wouldn’t be surprised to see American White Pelicans any day now. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":150239,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[3,124,27,1148,26],"tags":[4004,3966,4052,4122,4094,4154,4,706,5558,4018,3996,4741],"class_list":["post-19825","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-white-pelicans","category-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge","category-avian","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-american-white-pelican","tag-flight","tag-flying","tag-marsh","tag-pelecanus-erythrorhynchos","tag-pelican","tag-pelicans","tag-river","tag-sky","tag-water","tag-white-pelicans"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t