| Common Name | American White Pelican |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Pelecanus erythrorhynchos |
| Type of Report | Rare Species |
| Date of Observation | 08/27/2019 |
| Media | |
| Number Observed | 1 |
| Reporting Observer's Name | Zac Cota |
| Mailing Address | 175 Depot St Hyde Park, VT 05655 United States Map It |
| Email hidden; Javascript is required. | |
| Date Completed | 09/02/2019 |
| Latitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | 45.006483 |
| Longitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | -73.164837 |
| Place Name | Mississquoi River Delta |
| Township | Swanton |
| County | Franklin |
| Vermont eBird Checklist URL | ebird.org |
| Time of Day | 10:12 AM |
| Length of Time Observed | 60 minutes |
| Maximum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 6000 |
| Minimum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 50 |
| Noteworthy Weather Conditions | Clear skies and sunny. Southwest wind producing 1-1.5 foot waves in Campbell's Bay. |
| Optical Equipment Used for Observation | Vortex Diamondback 12x50 binoculars. Swarovski spotting scope. Canon Rebel t3i camera with 100-400mm lens. |
| Observer’s Previous Acquaintance With This or Similar Species | I had recently returned from birding in Wisconsin where I observed dozens of pelicans at Horicon Marsh. |
| I certify that any attachments included with this report were captured during this observation event. | |
| Description of Habitat | Shallow area of Campbell's Bay near the western aspect of the Missisquoi River delta. |
| Behaviors Observed | Seen soaring high in large, lazy circles, flapping only occasionally. Also seen floating and swimming in the water, as well as feeding. |
| Description of Vocalizations | Did not vocalize. |
| Verbal Narrative & Description of Observation | First observed the bird using spotting scope from Campbell Bay Campground. Bird was far to the north and only distinguishable by massive size and huge orange bill. I paddled by kayak out to the area where it was seen, upon arrival the bird had disappeared. I continued paddling north and east around the delta and noticed the bird soaring to the south. The bird drifted back to the area it was first observed and put down on the water. I paddled back and observed/photographed it swimming and feeding for about 15 minutes. Continuing at this location since at least 9 August 2019. |
| Relative Size & Shape | Massive bird with long, broad wings; appearing eagle sized in flight. Heavy body. |
| Head | White head upon long neck. Yellow lores. |
| Feet & Bill | Orange legs. Massive orange and pouched bill seen clearly while it was feeding. |
| Upper Back | White. |
| Lower Back & Rump | Not clearly observed. |
| Wings | Long and broad in flight, white leading edge with black flight feathers. |
| Breast, Belly, Flanks, Under Tail Coverts | White. |
| Tail | White. |
| IMPORTANT: What similar species were eliminated when making the identification and how was this bird different? | Leucistic Brown Pelicans seem to have pink legs, feet and bill. |
| This report was written from notes taken: | Written from Memory |
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