{"id":59983,"date":"2019-09-05T05:26:50","date_gmt":"2019-09-05T11:26:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=59983"},"modified":"2025-08-12T05:13:08","modified_gmt":"2025-08-12T10:13:08","slug":"rare-brown-pelican-at-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/09\/05\/rare-brown-pelican-at-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/","title":{"rendered":"Rare Brown Pelican At Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AdultAdult Brown Pelican on the Bear River – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/640, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

In late June and early July I saw Brown Pelicans in Virginia while I visited with my family there, at that time I didn’t have my bird photography gear with me but I was thrilled to see them in flight and on the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay. I hadn’t photographed Brown Pelicans since I last saw Florida in my rear view mirror in 2009.<\/p>\n

Yesterday I saw and photographed a Brown Pelican here in Utah at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge<\/span><\/a> as it rested and preened on logs in the Bear River, a real Utah rarity. This Brown Pelican was first reported on August 23rd by Laura Lockhart (see her sight record here<\/span><\/a>) and it was also seen by her daughter Maisy Phelps.<\/p>\n

The sighting was sent out through several Utah bird list servs and since then the bird has been seen and photographed by many people. Once accepted, and I am sure it will be, this will be the 10th record of this species in Utah.<\/p>\n

\"PreeningPreening Brown Pelican in Utah – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/800, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Last week I dipped on the Brown Pelican on a trip to the refuge but I spotted it yesterday morning, pointed it out, and finally got some photos of it.<\/p>\n

We have American White Pelicans here in Utah and we are used to seeing them from for a large portion of the year because they breed here on Gunnison Island out in the Great Salt Lake but this rare Brown Pelican is way off course from its normal, coastal range.<\/p>\n

\"BrownBrown Pelican resting on a log on the Bear River – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1250, ISO 640, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The Brown Pelican didn’t do much while I had it in my viewfinder and I probably took way too many photos of it but I don’t care, it was unique to see here in land-locked Utah and the setting of the Bear River was definitely different than the many times I have photographed this species back East.<\/p>\n

\"AdultAdult Brown Pelican perched on a log – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/2500, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

On the way out from the auto tour route I was able to find the Brown Pelican again and although the light wasn’t as good as it had been earlier in the morning I took even more photos of this visiting Brown Pelican before heading home plus I was also able to point it out to a couple who drove up while I was taking images of the bird. I would have loved to have photographed this pelican floating on the surface of the Bear River but that was not to be. If this rare Brown Pelican hangs around perhaps I will have another chance to get that photo.<\/p>\n

\"VerticalBrown Pelican floating on the Gulf – Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1\/750, ISO 160, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I hope the wandering Brown Pelican finds a way to return to a coastal area where it can join others of its species so it can mate, have young and live a long life.<\/p>\n

The photo above was taken on 26 February, 2009 at the north beach of Fort De Soto County park in Pinellas County, Florida while this Brown Pelican floated on the beautiful, warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.<\/p>\n

Seeing and photographing the Brown Pelican yesterday was great and although it wasn’t a lifer for me it was the first time I’ve seen and photographed this species in Utah. I photographed other birds too but those photos can wait to be shared.<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

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

The Brown Pelican didn’t do much while I had it in my viewfinder and I probably took way too many photos of it but I don’t care, it was unique to see here in land-locked Utah and the setting of the Bear River was definitely different than the many times I have photographed this species back East.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":137059,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[124,27,1148,143,25,704,2000,7646,26],"tags":[3994,1996,4077,4962,4378,4158,4,706,4104,4019,1902,2191,4156],"class_list":["post-59983","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge","category-avian","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-brown-pelicans","category-florida","category-fort-de-soto-county-park","category-pinellas-county-florida","category-rarities","category-utah","tag-brown-pelican","tag-driftwood","tag-gulf-of-mexico","tag-log","tag-morning","tag-pelecanus-occidentalis","tag-pelican","tag-pelicans","tag-perched","tag-preening-2","tag-rare","tag-rarity","tag-resting"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/brown-pelican-bear-river-mbr-mia-mcpherson-9452.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-fBt","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":60840,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/10\/16\/utahs-long-staying-rare-brown-pelican\/","url_meta":{"origin":59983,"position":0},"title":"Utah’s Long-staying Rare Brown Pelican","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 16, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"I photographed Utah's long-staying rare Brown Pelican again yesterday morning at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and as I took photos of it I worried about its future.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Vagrant Brown Pelican preening, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/brown-pelican-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-9741.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/brown-pelican-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-9741.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/brown-pelican-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-9741.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/brown-pelican-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-9741.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":117537,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/10\/27\/fall-american-white-pelican-images-at-bear-river-mbr\/","url_meta":{"origin":59983,"position":1},"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":115951,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/09\/18\/american-white-pelican-and-golden-light\/","url_meta":{"origin":59983,"position":2},"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, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/american-white-pelican-adult-golden-light-mia-mcpherson-0496.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/american-white-pelican-adult-golden-light-mia-mcpherson-0496.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":59983,"position":3},"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 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4851,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/04\/21\/american-white-pelicans-of-the-great-basin\/","url_meta":{"origin":59983,"position":4},"title":"American White Pelicans of the Great Basin","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 21, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"During the winter months I miss seeing large flocks of American White Pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) soaring in the thermals, in the past few weeks I have been delighted to see them again.","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":"Fluffed up American White Pelican, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/american-white-pelican-fluffed-mia-mcpherson-4670.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/american-white-pelican-fluffed-mia-mcpherson-4670.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/american-white-pelican-fluffed-mia-mcpherson-4670.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/american-white-pelican-fluffed-mia-mcpherson-4670.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":77420,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/01\/06\/brown-pelicans-and-memories\/","url_meta":{"origin":59983,"position":5},"title":"Brown Pelicans And Memories","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 6, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Eleven years ago this morning I had an amazing time photographing flocks of Brown Pelicans plunge feeding in the Gulf of Mexico.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Brown Pelicans in flight with gulls, terns and skimmers, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/brown-pelican-skimmers-gulls-terns-mia-mcpherson-3638.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/brown-pelican-skimmers-gulls-terns-mia-mcpherson-3638.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/brown-pelican-skimmers-gulls-terns-mia-mcpherson-3638.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/brown-pelican-skimmers-gulls-terns-mia-mcpherson-3638.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\/59983","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=59983"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59983\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/137059"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59983"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=59983"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=59983"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}