{"id":4654,"date":"2012-03-19T06:12:03","date_gmt":"2012-03-19T12:12:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=4654"},"modified":"2025-09-27T13:02:59","modified_gmt":"2025-09-27T18:02:59","slug":"american-white-pelican-in-flight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/03\/19\/american-white-pelican-in-flight\/","title":{"rendered":"American White Pelican In Flight"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Not far from where I live there is a small pond where I photographed this American White Pelican in flight two springs ago.<\/p>\n<p>I woke this morning to find the ground blanketed in fresh snow. Later this week the forecasters say it will be in the 70&#8217;s, crazy spring weather.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-158167 size-full\" title=\"American White Pelican in flight with trees in the background, Salt Lake County, Utah\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-mia-mcpherson-9913.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-mia-mcpherson-9913.jpg\" alt=\"American White Pelican in flight with trees in the background, Salt Lake County, Utah\" width=\"850\" height=\"567\" data-id=\"10164\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27567%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20850%20567%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27567%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-mia-mcpherson-9913-200x133.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-mia-mcpherson-9913-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-mia-mcpherson-9913-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-mia-mcpherson-9913-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-mia-mcpherson-9913.jpg 850w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><span style=\"color: #888888;\">American White Pelican in flight &#8211; Nikon D200, tripod mounted, f6.3, 1\/1000, ISO 320, +1.0 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 215mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n<p>I don&#8217;t have to go far from home to photograph birds because of that pond being nearby\u00a0but it can be a challenge trying to frame a shot where the hand of man isn&#8217;t obvious when the birds are in flight.<\/p>\n<p>There are power lines, power poles, tall lights from a baseball field and quite often airplanes in the sky.<\/p>\n<p>What can not be seen in this image is a huge power pole just outside the left side of the frame. I cropped this image to remove it.<\/p>\n<p>Life <em>is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n<p>Mia<\/p>\n<p>Click <a href=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/american-white-pelican-images\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">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":"<p>Not far from where I live there is a small pond where I photographed this American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) just after it had lifted off from the water two springs ago.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":158167,"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":[3,27,709],"tags":[4004,3966,4052,4122,4154,4,706,1984,4076,4741],"class_list":["post-4654","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-white-pelicans","category-avian","category-salt-lake-county-utah","tag-adult","tag-american-white-pelican","tag-flight","tag-flying","tag-pelecanus-erythrorhynchos","tag-pelican","tag-pelicans","tag-pond","tag-trees","tag-white-pelicans"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-mia-mcpherson-9913.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-1d4","jetpack_sharing_enabled":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9844,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/10\/19\/american-white-pelican-lifting-off\/","url_meta":{"origin":4654,"position":0},"title":"American White Pelican Lifting Off","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 19, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"This American White Pelican was taking off from a pond near where I live in Salt Lake County and I happened to click the shutter when its wings were extended upwards and when its feet had just slapped the water","rel":"","context":"In &quot;American White Pelicans&quot;","block_context":{"text":"American White Pelicans","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/pelicans\/white-pelicans\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American White Pelican lifting off, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-3506.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-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-3506.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-3506.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-3506.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":100893,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/03\/17\/an-american-white-pelican-in-soft-morning-light\/","url_meta":{"origin":4654,"position":1},"title":"An American White Pelican In Soft Morning Light","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 17, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Two mornings ago I photographed my first American White Pelican of the year in soft morning light at an urban park close to home.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;American White Pelicans&quot;","block_context":{"text":"American White Pelicans","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/pelicans\/white-pelicans\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Preening American White Pelican on an urban pond, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/american-white-pelican-pond-mia-mcpherson-2057.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/american-white-pelican-pond-mia-mcpherson-2057.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/american-white-pelican-pond-mia-mcpherson-2057.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/american-white-pelican-pond-mia-mcpherson-2057.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":101504,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/04\/10\/american-white-pelican-in-low-light\/","url_meta":{"origin":4654,"position":2},"title":"American White Pelican In Low Light","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 10, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"I am enjoying seeing the birds that have returned to breed in Utah including this American White Pelican I photographed in low light two days ago at a local pond.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;American White Pelicans&quot;","block_context":{"text":"American White Pelicans","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/pelicans\/white-pelicans\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult American White Pelican in low light, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/american-white-pelican-early-morning-mia-mcpherson-3848.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/american-white-pelican-early-morning-mia-mcpherson-3848.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/american-white-pelican-early-morning-mia-mcpherson-3848.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/american-white-pelican-early-morning-mia-mcpherson-3848.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":51636,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/04\/13\/reporting-wing-tagged-american-white-pelicans-helping-birds-by-helping-the-peli-project\/","url_meta":{"origin":4654,"position":3},"title":"Reporting Wing Tagged American White Pelicans &#8211; Helping Birds by Helping the PELI Project","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 13, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I know that I will be reporting any wing tagged American White Pelicans I see while they are here in northern Utah and I hope that others will too and help out the Peli Project!","rel":"","context":"In &quot;American White Pelicans&quot;","block_context":{"text":"American White Pelicans","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/pelicans\/white-pelicans\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American White Pelicans, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelicans-feeding-mia-mcpherson-8153.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-pelicans-feeding-mia-mcpherson-8153.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelicans-feeding-mia-mcpherson-8153.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelicans-feeding-mia-mcpherson-8153.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":16228,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/10\/21\/american-white-pelican-stretching\/","url_meta":{"origin":4654,"position":4},"title":"American White Pelican Stretching","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 21, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"The caruncle or horn is a growth on the bill of American White Pelicans that occurs yearly during the breeding season.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;American White Pelicans&quot;","block_context":{"text":"American White Pelicans","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/pelicans\/white-pelicans\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American White Pelican stretching, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-mia-mcpherson-stretching-3383.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-mia-mcpherson-stretching-3383.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-mia-mcpherson-stretching-3383.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-mia-mcpherson-stretching-3383.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":54375,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/09\/30\/gunnison-island-pelicans-are-on-the-move\/","url_meta":{"origin":4654,"position":5},"title":"Gunnison Island Pelicans Are On The Move &#8211; Help Out By Reporting Wing Tagged American White Pelicans","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 30, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Bird photographers, birders, nature watchers and citizen scientists can help out by reporting all banded birds including our Gunnison Island American White Pelicans.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;American White Pelicans&quot;","block_context":{"text":"American White Pelicans","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/pelicans\/white-pelicans\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American White Pelican Wing Tag 90K - Glover Pond, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-banded-90K-mia-mcpherson-7990.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-banded-90K-mia-mcpherson-7990.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-banded-90K-mia-mcpherson-7990.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/american-white-pelican-banded-90K-mia-mcpherson-7990.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4654","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4654"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4654\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/158167"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4654"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4654"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4654"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}