Soaring pelicans are amazing to see. They spiral up high on thermals, creating swirling columns that glimmer, then disappear as their wings catch the sun’s bright light. I think of Dee Canady whenever I see them. She loved them so and I remember watching them with her from her porch as they waded at the West end of Clear Lake. In more recent years I took her for rides to the Ventura Marsh where they gathered twice a year on their migratory path.
I have been watching them swarm over the distant reservoir these past several days when I walk my northern route. Yesterday there were four flocks, each with well over 100 birds. So today we took a ride to the North side of the reservoir to see if we could find them from the DNR lookout.
You can read a history of the American White Pelican if you can zoom in on this picture or by selecting the link. Their wingspans range from 8′ to 9-1/2′.
Those specks behind the sign are pelicans sitting on the water. The following pictures were taken with a Pentax DSLR 15.4 megapixel camera with a Tamron 18-200 mm Spherical DiII lens from a distance of between 200 – 300 yards.
A beautiful day, a beautiful place! 
No pic of the swirling columns, but you can get an idea of the contrast between light and dark by looking at the two pelicans at the upper center 
Two flocks, each numbering in the dozens of individual birds 
Look to the upper left water’s edge. Those are hundreds of pelicans huddling together. Don’t know the impact, but that’s a South shore, and the breeze is from the North 
Pelicans really are amazing birds 
I love it when nature reminds me of good friends. Those of you who knew Dee and the love of her life Jack cannot keep from smiling when remembering them. They were amazing people and an amazing couple. They were wonderful friends that Pam and I will cherish as long as we live.
Amazing pelicans, amazing friends. It’s a good day!
Dee’s daughter sent a reply to my email giving her a link to this post. Her response is worth repeating here. I edited out some personal content, but I appreciate the sentiment.
“Oh Keith, what a gift that was and at the perfect timing. Jackie, Sandy and I are all together for the first time in a year. …covid ha(s) conspired to keep us apart over mom’s birthday but now we are gathered in Omaha sharing lots of memories. This brought us all to tears. …That was so beautiful and our thanks is deep.”
are pelicans the ones that nest at the top of utility trees?
“American white pelicans nest in colonies of several hundred pairs on islands in remote brackish and freshwater lakes of inland North America. The most northerly nesting colony can be found on islands in the rapids of the Slave River between Fort Fitzgerald, Alberta, and Fort Smith, Northwest Territories.”
Oh right, those were storks I saw all over Europe. Not pelicans.
Thanks!
Beautiful post!