Pelicans

[Lake Alice]

I have never posted in this forum before but I saw something really cool last Sunday that I thought I'd share.

I live on White Bear Lake, across from Matoska Park and the Manitou marsh, which is the wildest place on the lake. We have resident bald eagles, all types of owls at differnt times, loons, all kinds of waterfowl, bitterns, herons, everything. But in my 30 plus years of living in this area and being on the lake I have never seen a pelican. Sunday morning there were over a hundred of them out there--all white with black tipped wings. They all got up after awhile and circled the area in smaller groups for a bit, then they were gone. What kind are these? Where are they headed?

[Meaney]

Sounds like the American White Pelican. Most likely just passing through your area, for they will stay in the area all summer long.

[Steve Foss]

Lake Alice, white pelicans nest all through Minnesota. They nest on the ground in colonies close to good fishing (fish are their primary forage). They choose locations where predators are scarce, often on islands in lakes or large rivers or sloughs. These birds could be nesting near you or on the move to some other spot.

They sure are wonderful huge birds, and it's always rewarding to spend time watching them fish and fly.