This is the time of year when people see pelicans in the air or in the water like today’s photos and they think they’re seeing things, because here UP North, we aren’t used to seeing pelicans, that’s usually in the south, like Georgia, Florida and Alabama and they’re brown. These are actually American White Pelicans and they’re on the migrating route for the summer. Nancy Haun snapped the first three photos in Keweenaw Bay, She said they were off in the distance while she was at the Bishop Baraga site. I zoomed in from the first photo for a closer look at them.

The fourth shot was taken by Jill Hodges out at Big Traverse. I have no idea if these are some of the same pelicans as the ones that were in Keweenaw Bay, but one of the words for a group of them is a squadron. So this squadron was busy swimming somewhere that day. Jill also recorded a short video of them swimming along. Looks like they can move at a pretty good clip.

You're right, Mary, just seems odd to have pelicans in the North! Thanks Nancy and Jill for getting these shots of the visitors. From some online info it looks like these guys may have been migrating from around Florida to Minnesota or some of the Western Canadian Provinces.

We're very used to seeing pelicans in
Minnesota. There were a lot of them. And
they're always hanging around when we're
down in Orange Beach'also. Very cool birds.
My husband says to keep them down south
because they eat too many fish.

White Pelicans are very interesting. Here in Northern Illinois and Iowa, along the Mississippi River we are right in the middle of a strong migration path and also a gathering point of some kind. You can sometimes 1000's of them all flying in unison, forming a huge circular tornado-like swarm.