species: American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)

Observer

keithpittluck

Date

7/25/2021

Quality grade

research

License

CC-BY-NC

Description

For months, I was seeing white pelicans at the lake in the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve. There numbers dwindled from a few dozen to a handful, then 3, finally one, and then none. My understanding is they migrate elsewhere to lay their eggs. After weeks of not seeing any, I was surprised on this day to see one fly over the lake twice. My view was clearer than my photos. The strikingly white feathers with the black trim & the pelican’s bill definitely distinguished it from the gulls & egrets.