# Pelicans in Indiana!?



## DLeeT (Apr 13, 2014)

Yup,  the American White Pelican passes through the American Midwest on their annual migration. Unfortunately, none would fly my way. Darn!  Lee

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Those are coots in the background.​


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## EOV (Apr 13, 2014)

I always forget how big they are until I see them again. Too bad they didn't fly your way is right but I like the lighting on them.


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## DLeeT (Apr 13, 2014)

EOV said:


> I always forget how big they are until I see them again. Too bad they didn't fly your way is right but I like the lighting on them.



Darn birds -- not a one would give me a decent flyby!   And, yes BIG bird.  Here's a bit of info on them:

The American White Pelican rivals the Trumpeter Swan  as the longest bird native to North America. Both very large and plump,  it has an overall length is about 50&#8211;70 in (130&#8211;180 cm), courtesy of  the huge beak which measures 11.3&#8211;15.2 in (290&#8211;390 mm) in males and  10.3&#8211;14.2 in (260&#8211;360 mm) in females. It has a wingspan of about  95&#8211;120 in (240&#8211;300 cm).[SUP][/SUP] The species also has the second largest average wingspan of any North American bird, after the California Condor. Body weight can range between 9.2 and 30 lb (4.2 and 13.6 kg),[SUP][/SUP] although typically these birds average between 11 and 20 lb (5.0 and 9.1 kg).


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## Raj_55555 (Apr 13, 2014)

Awesome shots Lee.. The second one is the pick of the lot..


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## robbins.photo (Apr 13, 2014)

I love watching pelicans take off.  Its like watching an old b17 lumbering down the runway.  You'd swear its never going to make it off the ground but somehow it does.  Great series Lee.

Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk


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## BillM (Apr 13, 2014)

I had no idea those things flew north !!!!


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## DarkShadow (Apr 13, 2014)

I wish  to see a pelican in the wild.Nice capture.


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## DLeeT (Apr 13, 2014)

BillM said:


> I had no idea those things flew north !!!!



Oh yes, as far north as Manitoba!

"The American white pelican     breeds in isolated areas from Manitoba, Canada and Minnesota west to  northern California. The American white pelican migrates to its winter  grounds in early fall. It winters in California, Mexico, Central  America, along the Gulf Coast and in Florida."


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## baturn (Apr 13, 2014)

Very nice , Lee. There is a huge rookerie on an island in Last Mountain Lake, Saskatchewan. hundreds, possibly thousands summer and breed there each year. I have been planning a trip back there for a few years, but life keeps getting in the way. Oh well, someday.


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## DLeeT (Apr 13, 2014)

Hope you can make it soon, Brian.  They're beautiful birds and fun to shoot.  Lee


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## coastalconn (Apr 13, 2014)

Very cool! I had no idea they migrated North!


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## EOV (Apr 14, 2014)

We get them in north central Washington State as well, along the Columbia River. Very cool to see.


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## nzmacro (Apr 14, 2014)

Heck that would be more than we get in the entire country Lee, maybe a 100th of those. We get very few that do fly over from Aussie now and again and only further up the north island. This would be a dream to see Lee. Great to see a flock like this, in fact unbelievable from down here. Wonderful in flight shots and what a sight !!!

All the best Lee and good timing in there. Excellent.

Danny.


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## DLeeT (Apr 14, 2014)

BillM said:


> I had no idea those things flew north !!!!





coastalconn said:


> Very cool! I had no idea they migrated North!



It was pure blind luck.  I had no idea they migrated north either, but I happened to visit a wildlife refuge where I had never been before and there they were!  A knowledgeable birder told me all about them.  I guess even an old dog gets the bone once in a while!  Lee


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## b_twill (Apr 14, 2014)

Is there hope they'll pass through Michigan???  PLEASE???  There's usually a couple hanging around Starved Rock State Park in Illinois


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## DLeeT (Apr 14, 2014)

b_twill said:


> Is there hope they'll pass through Michigan???  PLEASE???  There's usually a couple hanging around Starved Rock State Park in Illinois



If you look at the migration map, it doesn't look good for you:

Boreal Songbird Initiative : American White Pelican Map


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## DLeeT (Apr 14, 2014)

Since shots of these guys seem a bit rare, here are the last two I took.  There was another flock about the same size as the flock in the first shot but quite a bit further away.  Once again, in the BIF, they wouldn't come my way.  Alas!  But guess I should be thankful for what I did get.  Lee






​


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## flyin-lowe (Apr 17, 2014)

What part of Indiana did you take these pictures at?  I am on the east central part of the state.


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## DLeeT (Apr 18, 2014)

flyin-lowe said:


> What part of Indiana did you take these pictures at?  I am on the east central part of the state.



They were taken at Goose Pond, near Linton.


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