Volunteers landed at the Southeast end of the Island to the site of hundreds of American White Pelicans, camped in with the Brown Pelicans. The White Pelicans were staging for their return home to their nesting grounds while the Brown Pelicans had already set up nesting sites and many were sitting on eggs. Warden Chester Smith said that breeding season seems to have started about two weeks early this year.
Breeding activity seemed to be two weeks ahead of schedule. Be sure to view the VOLUNTEER PHOTOS too!
Click on any of the photos for a larger view. For the largest view, use the "slideshow" option.
Some of these Brown Pelicans were collecting nesting material in this clump of brush near the shoreline.
(South end of the island, near the big ponds, see map).
Photo credit: Diane Nunley
(South end of the island, near the big ponds, see map).
Photo credit: Diane Nunley
Notice the pair of Crested Caracaras in the top of the tree looking South towards Port O'Connor? They seem to have become permanent residents of the island. Note the Great Egrets in the foreground(far South edge of Heron/Egret/Roseate Hills, see map).
Photo credit: Marcy Spears
Photo credit: Marcy Spears
Taken from the observation platform, the small stretch of beach on the West side contains mostly Laughing Gulls, one Great Blue heron and a group of Brown Pelicans cruising by (West edge of Heron/Egret/Roseate Hills, see map).
Photo credit: Marcy Spears
Photo credit: Marcy Spears
Notice the Silver-leaf Sunflowers in the foreground of this White-morph Reddish Egret. The island seemed to be turning green before our eyes (South edge of Pelican Estates 2, see map).
Photo credit: Diane Nunley
Photo credit: Diane Nunley
Notice the bright blue lores and shocking pink bill on this Reddish Egret (South edge of Pelican Estates, see map).
Photo credit: Diane Nunley
Photo credit: Diane Nunley
Reddish Egrets are quite a lot of fun to watch when foraging for food as they lurch, jump, and run through shallow water. They also spread their wings above the water to attract small fish (South edge of Pelican Estates, see map).
Photo credit: Diane Nunley
Photo credit: Diane Nunley
White Morph and Dark Morph Reddish Egrets will mate with each other. A mixed pair almost always has dark morph chicks (South edge of Pelican Estates, see map).
Photo credit: Diane Nunley
Photo credit: Diane Nunley
Ahhh... I found a really good stick! (South edge of Pelican Estates, see map).
Photo credit: Diane Nunley
Photo credit: Diane Nunley
This White Morph Reddish Egret is in the smaller pond on the edge of Pelican Estates (see map). While plume hunters nearly wiped out this species during the late 1800s. Today it is threatened by rapidly declining habitat.
Photo credit: Diane Nunley
Photo credit: Diane Nunley
American White Pelicans weigh about 15.4 pounds while Brown Pelicans weight in at 6.5 pounds—pretty obvious here, right? Notice the horny plate on the upper mandible of the white pelican which becomes more pronounced during breeding season. (South edge of Pelican Estates, see map).
Photo credit: Diane Nunley
Photo credit: Diane Nunley
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