Immature brown pelican and royal terns.
Mature brown pelican in breeding plumage and laughing gulls.
Mature brown pelican in breeding plumage.
Nest building, eggs are laid in March and April.
Bath time.
Fledgling - so what do I do with these huge wings?
Pelicans are social birds which forage in large groups.
Gathering nesting materials.
Off to add to the nest.
Just one more beakful.
Nesting close together in these bushes.
Eggs are incubated by both parents for about one month.
After hatching, both parents will help take care of young, feeding them regurgitated fish.
Pelicans with royal terns (long reddish beak) and sandwich terns (yellow tipped beak).
How do they handle those large beaks?
Mature brown pelicans in breeding plumage.
Looking across Shamrock Island, masses of birds as far as you could see!
A juvenile brown pelican with royal terns (long reddish beak) and sandwich terns (yellow tipped beak).
No one is allowed on the Island, such a good thing!
As we stood in the boat near Shamrock Island a pelican took flight and headed towards us.
Francie Stoutamire Photography
