So much bigger than Brown Pelicans, American White Pelicans have been seen floating near the mouth of the Russian River. Janet Tervo recently photographed a flock.
The photo above was taken by Siegfried Matull, showing a White Pelican in flight.
To hear the sound of these birds, here's a link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_White_Pelican/sounds
American White Pelicans breed inland and travel to the coast to overwinter. It seems a little early for their appearance but the first of them have arrived.
Thanks to Janet and Siegfried for allowing me to share their photos with you here.