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American White Pelican


American White Pelican
Photo Information
Copyright: Rick Price (Adanac) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1036 W: 1 N: 3970] (13366)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-06-07
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon 40D, Canon 100-400/4.5-5.6L IS
Exposure: f/9.0, 1/640 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-06-26 17:43
Viewed: 424
Points: 28
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Hi All,
This image was taken at Ressor Lake in Cypress Hills Provincial Park earlier in the month. It was quite windy out and we watched as he rode the wind close to shore in search of some fish for lunch. There is a group of 40-45 Pelicans at this small lake. Thew Alberta government stocks this lake with fingerling Rainbow Trout for sport fishing and pelican food I guess.

American White Pelican
Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
General Description

By Jim Davis


The American White Pelican nests in the eastern half of Alberta; with the North American breeding range extending throughout the Canadian Prairie Provinces, and the mid-west United States. The preferred habitat is shallow fresh, brackish, or salt water lakes, populated with fish. Preferred sites for colonies are barren low lying islands, not subject to fluctuating water levels, and isolated from mammalian predators.

Roosting sites on islands are regularly disturbed by coyotes and fishermen. Fall migration is early to mid September, with dispersal wide ranging. Winters in the Gulf of Mexico, southern California, and Central America.

Their diet consists mostly of rough fish such as carp, suckers, and various minnows, as well as crustaceans. Feeds from surface of water, does not dive as does the Brown Pelican.

Colonial up to several hundred pairs, usually nests on islands. Pair formation thought to occur prior to arriving at nesting colony, due to lack of observed courtship display. One to four white eggs may be laid on level ground or in mound of dirt with sticks, debris, and rim. Incubation of 29 days by both parents, with rarely more than one chick surviving per nest. Fledge at about 10 weeks.
CeltickRanger, Art_R, eqshannon, jaycee, Alex99, maurydv, SelenE, goldyrs, uleko, Miss_Piggy has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Art_R Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 193 W: 16 N: 461] (1891)
  • [2008-06-26 18:37]

Hi Rick , wow super photo , great detail ,exposure ,and color , I am very envious of this one , I would really like to get to see one of these so close . Nice stuff

regards
Art

I can see and feel the damp wind...and today it is heating. I wonder if same for you. I have a surprise for you coming soon to a video store:-) Nice image my friend!
bob

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1691 W: 8 N: 4340] (14113)
  • [2008-06-26 19:23]

Hi Rick,

It seems to be windy everywhere - ours is a hot wind. It's easy to see from the water that it is breezy. This Pelican is wonderful with excellent colors and shades of white. Love the beak and eye. A beautiful shot.

Jane

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2991 W: 148 N: 4435] (14369)
  • [2008-06-26 22:58]

Hi Rick.
Perfectly exposed nice shot and a fine bird. I like applied exposure parameters a lot. You managed to get crisp sharp, with wide DOF and natural colours shot. My compliments and kind regards.
Alexei.

  • Great 
  • Dan Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 112 W: 0 N: 343] (1687)
  • [2008-06-27 0:19]

Hi Rick,

very good photo of this American White Pelican. Great colours and details. Strange the excrescence on the beak. Pelicans from Danube Delta have not this particularity.
regards, Dan.

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1589 W: 242 N: 5308] (18683)
  • [2008-06-27 1:17]

Hi Rick!
Great shot!
The exposure of the whites is spot-on!
Superb DOF and a great BG.
Very, very sharp.

Well done,
Joe

Splendido momento di cattura, ottimi POV e composizione con la visione laterale del grande becco, molto buona la nitidezza, belli i colori. Grazie e complimenti. Ciao Maurizio

hello Rick

excellent shot of this Pelican with very fine POV, DOF and framing,
i love the wave shapes of the background, superb focus on the bird,
i love his beak's and eye's colour tones, excellent sharpness and details,

TFS

Asbed

Hello Rick,
Very nice capture, good sharpness and depth of field, lovely colors and good light.
Angela

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2308 W: 59 N: 3689] (11822)
  • [2008-06-28 1:10]

Hi Rick,
The expression you captured is beautiful. I like the focus, sharpness, details, colors, contrast and the composition.TFS
Greetings,
Selen

Very well done, Rick!I love this shot!
Cheers!
Goldy

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2381 W: 164 N: 7153] (22602)
  • [2008-06-28 10:58]

Hello RIck,
What a splendid capture of this all-white American Pelican. In spite of the strong wind, you've managed to get it sharply in focus. Details are very clear and colours beautiful. The water looks really rough!
TFS and kind regards, Ulla

Hallo Rick
Due to the fact that I have been ill, I just could not give my comments to some of the lovely images that appeared and past me by on the gallery. Now I have such a lot of catching up to do so please pardon me for only saying……………………
Splendid image. It is indeed a feast to the eye and it did not go unnoticed. This waterbird's beak is really a great attraction, and one cannot miss the marble black eye.
Best regards
Anna

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-07-03 21:32]

Hello Rick

This is a bird we don't have around here.
A wonderful sharp image with spot on exposure.
The plumage details are excellent.
Well saturated colours.
Great job.
TFS

Rob

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