Adult American White PelicanAdult American White Pelican

Yesterday at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge there were two American White Pelicans that were close enough to photograph as they floated on the Bear River, it was a cloudless morning so the river was a gorgeous blue which always sets off the whites of these big, beautiful birds.

American White Pelican on the Bear RiverAmerican White Pelican on the Bear River

This pelican was sporting a long, shaggy “do” that would stand straight up as the wind blew. Photographing these large white birds can present exposure challenges, I tossed a few over exposed images into my delete bin but for the most part the series I took came out very well.

American White Pelicans breed here in Utah and many nest on isolated islands in the Great Salt Lake, they often fly long distances to freshwater locations such as Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge to capture fish for their young as the Great Salt Lake near those islands is too hyper saline to have fish.

Happy Friday,

Mia

Click here to see more of my American White Pelican photos plus facts and information about this species.