{"id":40040,"date":"2016-06-16T05:04:16","date_gmt":"2016-06-16T11:04:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=40040"},"modified":"2024-07-24T03:56:01","modified_gmt":"2024-07-24T08:56:01","slug":"american-white-pelican-flight-over-bear-river-mbr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/06\/16\/american-white-pelican-flight-over-bear-river-mbr\/","title":{"rendered":"American White Pelican Flight Over Bear River MBR"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AmericanAmerican White Pelican flight over Bear River – Nikon D810, f8, 1\/2500, ISO 500, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mmm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

I haven’t really spent much time photographing American White Pelicans this breeding season and it is probably time to do just that. These large, white birds have wingspans of 9 feet or more and breed here in Utah. The pelicans are probably still feeding their young this time of the year and when they do they make long trips from islands in the Great Salt Lake to freshwater areas like the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge to catch fish to feed their chicks.<\/p>\n

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. When they turn in the sky some times it appears that they have disappeared into thin air and with the next turn they look like they have appeared out of no where.<\/p>\n

This American White Pelican was flying over Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge<\/span><\/a> last July with the Promontory Mountains in the distance. I recall it being a very clear but very hot day.<\/p>\n

I guess I’d better get myself ready for the day, pack up my gear and hit the road. I’ve been out of the field for too long.<\/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":"

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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":131171,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,124,27,1148,26],"tags":[4004,3966,4052,4122,4094,4069,4154,4,706,4528,4018,4095,4741],"class_list":["post-40040","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-mountains","tag-pelecanus-erythrorhynchos","tag-pelican","tag-pelicans","tag-promontory-mountains","tag-sky","tag-wetlands","tag-white-pelicans"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/american-white-pelican-flight-mia-mcpherson-7149.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-apO","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":117537,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/10\/27\/fall-american-white-pelican-images-at-bear-river-mbr\/","url_meta":{"origin":40040,"position":0},"title":"Fall American White Pelican Images At Bear River MBR","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 27, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"On this fall morning, I'm sharing three American White Pelican images from Bear River MBR taken earlier this week and a bonus flock photo from last year.","rel":"","context":"In "American White Pelicans"","block_context":{"text":"American White Pelicans","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/pelicans\/white-pelicans\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American White Pelican in the fall, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/american-white-pelican-in-fall-mia-mcpherson-5403.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/american-white-pelican-in-fall-mia-mcpherson-5403.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/american-white-pelican-in-fall-mia-mcpherson-5403.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/american-white-pelican-in-fall-mia-mcpherson-5403.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5146,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/06\/07\/birds-of-bear-river-mbr-american-white-pelicans\/","url_meta":{"origin":40040,"position":1},"title":"Birds of Bear River MBR – American White Pelicans","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 7, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is an excellent location for finding and photographing American White Pelicans who have wing spans of over nine feet.","rel":"","context":"In "American White Pelicans"","block_context":{"text":"American White Pelicans","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/pelicans\/white-pelicans\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Nonbreeding plumage American White Pelican in flight over Bear River MBR, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-flight-mia-mcpherson-6197.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-flight-mia-mcpherson-6197.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-flight-mia-mcpherson-6197.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-flight-mia-mcpherson-6197.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 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Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/american-white-pelican-pooping-mia-mcpherson-3269.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/american-white-pelican-pooping-mia-mcpherson-3269.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/american-white-pelican-pooping-mia-mcpherson-3269.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/american-white-pelican-pooping-mia-mcpherson-3269.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":115951,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/09\/18\/american-white-pelican-and-golden-light\/","url_meta":{"origin":40040,"position":3},"title":"American White Pelican And Golden Light","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 18, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday morning, at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, the first bird I photographed was an adult American White Pelican in early morning golden light.","rel":"","context":"In "American White Pelicans"","block_context":{"text":"American White Pelicans","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/pelicans\/white-pelicans\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American White Pelican facing golden morning light, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/american-white-pelican-adult-golden-light-mia-mcpherson-0496.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/american-white-pelican-adult-golden-light-mia-mcpherson-0496.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9077,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/08\/02\/nine-foot-wingspans-american-white-pelicans\/","url_meta":{"origin":40040,"position":5},"title":"Nine Foot Wingspans – American White Pelicans","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 2, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"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.","rel":"","context":"In "American White Pelicans"","block_context":{"text":"American White Pelicans","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/pelicans\/white-pelicans\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American White Pelican showing the nearly 9 foot wingspan, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, 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