American White Pelicans and Sandhill Cranes

I made a quick stop at Dick Young Forest Preserve on my way to the lab this morning to see the American White Pelicans on their annual visit to Nelson Lake. Every year, a group of roughly 70 Pelicans show up here around the first week of April.

American White Pelicans, Nelson Lake, Dick Young Forest Preserve, Kane County, IL

This year was no exception, and their arrival was like clockwork. They were fairly inactive this morning, and did little else besides resting and preening in the morning sunlight. It's wonderful to catch them when they're feeding. Several birds will work together, swimming in circles to "roundup" the fish. They have impressive 96-114 inch wingspans (larger than a Bald Eagle), nearly pure white feathers with striking black primaries, and a bright orange bill. During breeding season, males develop a conspicuous keel on their bills, as shown below.


Male American White Pelican

Another surprise this morning was a pair of Sandhill Cranes foraging through the freshly burned grass. Had another birder not pointed them out to me, they probably would have gone unnoticed. Their colors blend right into the dry grass in the background, and they kept their loud calls silent.


Sandhill Cranes

All images © 2008 Derek Strom