Tag Archives: Brown Pelican

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Loch Michie photographed this adult Brown Pelican as it lifted off from the water.

Adult Brown Pelicans have white heads and brown tummies. Brown Pelicans are so graceful when flying, but they can be comically clumsy when coming in for a landing in water.

These prehistoric-looking birds were severely impacted by the pesticide DDT. It got in waterways where fish ingested it. Birds like the Brown Pelicans ate the fish, and the pesticide residue caused their eggshells to thin. When the mother bird stood (yes, Brown Pelicans incubate their eggs with the skin on their feet) on her eggs, they broke. Their numbers went into a steep decline and we almost lost them. DDT was banned, and these beautiful creatures have recovered in the years since. I think a good rule for we humans would be: Do No Harm.

Thanks to Loch for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

Fog over the Pacific Ocean, with warm temps away from the ocean.

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Here’s a beautiful time lapse photograph of a Brown Pelican with several Gulls nearby, taken by the talented Phil Lewenthal.

I love how Phil’s photo slows down the waves…just amazing. And the Brown Pelican stayed still for the photo.

Thanks to Phil for allowing me to share his photo with you.

It was a spectacular day on the Mendonoma Coast today!

 

 

 

 

 

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Rozanne Rapozo was down at the Gualala River when this Brown Pelican came in for a landing. As graceful as they are in the air, they can be quite clumsy when landing in the water.

And here Rozanne has photographed the gular pouch of a Brown Pelican.

The gular pouch is the flexible skin located on the pelican’s lower jaw and connected to the throat.

Thanks to Rozanne for allowing me to share her photos with you here.

It's a beautiful day here today - a mixture of fog over the water, cool temps and sunny skies over the land.

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Young Brown Pelicans, born earlier this year to our south, are now flying northward. They have brown heads and white tummies. The adults have white heads and darker tummies. Paul Brewer recently photographed this juvenile Brown Pelican.

Paul also photographed this group of Brown Pelicans in the fog - yes, it's been foggy the past couple of days!

Brown Pelicans are easier to photograph in flight because they have slow wing beats and they glide in between. They fly over or close to the bluffs, giving us wonderful sightings of them this time of year. Yay, Brown Pelicans!

Thanks to Paul for allowing me to share his photos with  you here. To see much more of Paul's nature photography, here is the link to his website: http://www.capturingnatureswonders.com/

Drippy fog this morning and dazzling sunshine this afternoon.

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Peggy Berryhill told me this young Brown Pelican recently posed for her.

I love these prehistoric-looking birds. We are privileged to watch their migrations every year. Young Brown Pelicans, with brown heads and white tummies, are still flying northward. Peggy saw them feeding in the mudflats of the Russian River, along with American White Pelicans and Great Egrets.

Thanks to Peggy for allowing me to share her photo with you here. Peggy is the Co-founder and General Manager of the radio station KGUA 88.3 FM. She hosts a weekly program called "Peggy's Place." I am one of her guests every month. I'm usually on the third Thursday of each month, 9 am to 10 am, but this week I will be on Wednesday, Sept. 26 from 9 am to 10 am. You can listen in live at: http://kgua.org/