I decided to take a trip down to DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge in Iowa and Nebraska, at the recommendation of
Out On The Prarie, and I found these two
American White Pelicans. I never knew I might find pelicans in a place like Nebraska. The signs said I was in Nebraska. I thought pelicans only lived near the ocean.
The funny thing is that I knew exactly what they were as soon as I saw them. I guess there's no mistaking what a pelican looks like. Of course I had to check later just to make sure, but my guide confirmed that they were indeed pelicans.
I took a lot of pictures, but most of them came out blurry. I think it was the distance combined with their white color that made so many pictures come out so bad. I was glad when I saw that at least a few came out okay. These would have been some of the best anyway.
And now for my newest episode of Rat TV. I had to wait to get this video uploaded to Youtube before I could write this post. I didn't want to leave it out. You don't get the best look at the pelicans, but the video is clear and steady, and it's not bad. They just didn't pose very well.
This was the first picture I took of them. You can see that they weren't very interested in posing for the camera. It would have been nice if they would have stood up nice and straight for the camera, but I guess you can't get everything that you want. I'm just glad I got these pictures.
I probably could have gotten a little bit closer, but I was afraid they would leave if they saw me lurking around. Maybe I would have gotten a few good pictures of them in flight, but I didn't want to risk it. And besides, it wouldn't have been nice to disturb them. I'll talk to you later.
Nicely done. On the video as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I was a little worried about the video.
DeleteGlad you found a favorite place of mine. They have lists at the visitor center in the spring to tell who has been through during migration and who stayed and is nesting. Pelicans are fun to watch while they fish in sync.
ReplyDeleteI need to go back next spring too then. I would have liked to stay a bit longer than I did.
DeleteWho'dda thunk it? I never would have thought to look there to find a pelican. Doesn't one of those capture the image of the very rare headless pelican? . . . Oops, never mind. Excuse me.
ReplyDeleteThose headless pelicans seem to be all too common.
DeleteMy human didn't know pelicans lived outside of the coasts either! I guess they just aren't the posing type.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I found out they live around here too.
Deletebeautiful pictures, and love your video too. i love pelicans, and yes, you're right, the white pelicans usually stay a little bit farther from the ocean, here in san diego, we only find them in lakes and estuary, the closest they are to the ocean is maybe a mile in estuaries and bays. However, there are a lot of them in inland lakes and bays. the brown pelicans however, stay mostly on the coast. glad you were able to find some of them.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the information about pelicans. That's very interesting.
DeleteWell, that's a surprise. I would never think to see pelicans there!
ReplyDeleteI think your photos are nice!
I'm glad I found them. They were such a surprise.
DeleteI LOVE white pelicans, and I've never been able to get close enough to get good pictures. These are awesome. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI was so afraid of moving closer to them. I just knew somehow that they'd fly away.
DeleteBut they think they were posing so well.
ReplyDeleteSigh!!
Different schools of thought.
Maybe they were trying to be difficult. They were telling me to wait for the next ones.
DeleteAwesome video and the pictures came out great. Nice captures.
ReplyDeleteThanks, I was worried about both.
DeleteWonderful birds, Pelicans, you seem to have caught their essence here! Great job Ratty!
ReplyDeleteThanks. I was so afraid that they'd fly away. I just stared at them for quite awhile.
DeleteI think these photos are fantastic! What beautiful elegant birds - I really like the white birds against the blue water.
ReplyDeleteI really couldn't believe I was seeing them at first.
DeleteI saw a white pelican while I was piling up a tributary at Ed Zorinsky Lake in Omaha. Very cool I have never seen one in this area before.
ReplyDeleteAren't they such a beautiful sight when you see them out there like that?
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