Reader Karen Bartelt sent some pelican photos with captions, but didn’t associate the captions with the photos. I’ll put both below, and you can try to match them.
I love to see the American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) as they migrate along the Illinois River. A few weeks ago, while camped at Thomson Causeway on the Mississippi near Thomson IL, I was able to see them close up in an estuary adjacent to our campsite.
The captions:
Incoming…Synchronized swim positions…Tuchesses in the air…Circle…Gulp…Serenity…Landing
The photos:
Nice pics!
Second one is especially nice!
Nice!
Wonderful shots, karen!!
Always love watching the pelicans. The size of these birds is surprising to many. Pretty sure that second picture is feeding. They work in small and large formations to feed along the banks.
Oh, the knots on top of the bill tells us it’s spring.
Interesting! I did not know about that. There were pterosaurs with a similar keel on their beak.
Oh yes, quite a few knots.
And it seems that the population of white pelicans in Illinois has increased substantially in the past 10 years. We never saw them further upstream here on the Illinois; now they’re a common visitor. Are you observing the same?
In June 2015, I have photos of a large population (40-50) at the northern tip of Lake Winnebago (High Cliff State Park) in Wisconsin. Last summer we noticed some in July near the city of Lacon on the Illinois River. I sent this later one in to eBird, and they kind of blew me off. I didn’t have photos that time. However, I don’t think either of these were migrating, and that there are breeding populations well east of the maps you see online. However, I’ve not seen chicks. They are wonderful to see, though.
An unusual bird, the pelican,
It’s beak can hold more than its belly can.
According to Wikipedia, this little limerick is by Dixon Lanier Merritt:
A wonderful bird is the pelican,
His bill will hold more than his belican,
He can take in his beak
Enough food for a week
But I’m damned if I see how the helican!
👌nice….
Gorgeous pictures. Reminds me of synchronized swimming!