I couldn't believe my EYES!

After 7 hours of a dreary non-photogenic day (except for my cold little Killdeer), I went for my final security check of the grounds. As I'm on the top of a small hill near the tanks, something in the distance over the tanks caught my eye. It was like speckled moving clouds... getting closer. Never without my camera there, I grabbed it quickly not knowing exactly what I was going to be shooting.

http://gallery.photographyreview.com...Migration1.jpg

WHAT THE.... OMG! PELICANS! Hundreds of them!

http://gallery.photographyreview.com...Migration2.jpg

What IS this? What's going on here?? (ya, ya, I was talking to myself) I was hugely excited as I clicked away, checking setting as quickly as I could.

http://gallery.photographyreview.com...Migration3.jpg


They were SO HUGE! hahahahaha wheeeee!!!

http://gallery.photographyreview.com...Migration4.jpg


After the massive group passed, I turned around to the north again and...... WHOLLY cow! Another wave! There would be 6 more waves. LOL I thought I was gonna faint. I started to run out of disc space, so in between waves I would delete the bad ones keeping one eye over the tanks. I kept thinking how could I be this old and never have seen this??

I wish this photo was a video because it is hard to explain. Reminded me of a school of fish moving around almost in unison but gliding and turning. Made me dizzy!

http://gallery.photographyreview.com...Migration5.jpg


1,000 birds fly over my me and no poop on my head... it's a good day.

http://gallery.photographyreview.com...Migration6.jpg


http://gallery.photographyreview.com...Migration7.jpg


http://gallery.photographyreview.com...Migration8.jpg


This might be my favorite.

http://gallery.photographyreview.com...Migration9.jpg


I loved the "line-up" of this one and tried to turn it and crop it for just the 7 in a line, but the quality is too poor. Oh well.

http://gallery.photographyreview.com...igration10.jpg


I got curious as to exactly where they were going down by the river so I hopped in the truck and boogied down there. Got there in time to see one of the groups landing across on the other side of the river. You can see one large group also behind the duck blind.

http://gallery.photographyreview.com...igration11.jpg

Regaining my composure :crazy:, I had to know what just happened. I went back up to the guard house and googled for the answer. I had no idea these guys only do this twice a year. I witnessed by total accident the spring migration of the American White Pelican coming up from the friggin' Gulf of Mexico!!! :D

It was a glorious day after a horrible week.

Kristine (feelin' lucky for a change)

WOW!!
Glad you found what they were as I don't recall seeing even a pic of those before.
Lots of good shots there.

Must've been quite an experience ! Congrats !!

This was truly a fantastic "accident"! Brown pelicans are a dime a dozen but it's really tough to get a good shot of the white ones. This is a big deal indeed, congratulations! The shots look great, love the two photos of the pair flying in tight formation like fighter jets :)

Wow! Kristine, you lucky dog. Those shots are spectacular.
What a nice end of shift supprise.

Terrific series, Kristine! Thanks for sharing these.

We've had one lone American white pelican wintering in one of our local reservoirs and it has been the talk of the town for weeks (its activities posted nearly daily). I know many people who might actually faint if they saw a sight like this coming over the tree line.

Besides, I thought pteradactyls went extinct 65 million years ago :)

Great catch. I always though pelicans were only a warm water bird. I wouldn't have believed my eyes either if I had seen them here in Illinois. – TF

Wonderful series Kristine. That must have been quite an experience!

Thanks everyone! Yes, I knew it had to be a rare sight since I had never heard or seen of it before this. And Loupey, I swear, I did feel faint I was so excited! LOL I woke up this morning and the first thing I thought was... did that really happen?
I'm going back down there tomorrow to the other side of the river to see if they are still over there.

(I did notice a typo where I said "I turned around to the North" Actually, I turned back to the SOUTH) Guess I even got excited typing the post.:p

Nice captures! Those guys are all over the Place here in Florida, didnt realize they liked the cooler weather!?

Pretty exciting Kristine - that's just how the Canada Geese are here as they head north by the 1,000s ! Some staggered 'V' formations at tree top level and some hundreds of feet higher. You will usually hear them honking aloft before you can see them.
Some great captures of the Pelicans ! :thumbsup: