[Maine-birds] Am White Pelican - Wharton Point - Brunswick, Oct 14, 2012

Enclosed are links to several poor digiscoped pics of the Am White Pelican.  Sorry it didn't linger longer but that seems to be their proclivity in Maine, present for 2 - 3 hours and then gone.

Thanks to John and Gordon for sharing so promptly.

Best, Peter

Begin forwarded message:

From: do-not-reply@ebird.org

Date: October 14, 2012 4:23:31 PM EDT

To: petervickery@roadrunner.com

Subject: eBird Report - Wharton Point - Brunswick, Oct 14, 2012

Wharton Point - Brunswick, Cumberland, US-ME
Oct 14, 2012 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Protocol: Stationary
Comments:     Gordon Smith, John Berry et al. found an American White Pelican in Maquoit Bay off Wharton Point while conducting a Big Sit.
20 species

(Branta canadensis)  17
(Anas americana)  5
(Anas rubripes)  45
(Anas platyrhynchos)  5
(Gavia immer)  1
(Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)  1     One adult found by Gordon Smith, John Berry et al. doing a Big Sit.  Bird was first reported about 8:30.

Enormous white bird with a remarkable bill, no matter how many times I see pelicans, the bills are huge.  The upperparts and upper wing coverts were white, indicating an adult I think.  The bill was bright orange and did not possess a knob.  The area around the eye was feathered, eliminating the possibility of an escaped Old World Pelican (P. onocrotalus) and the completely orange bill eliminated an escaped Dalmation Pelican (D. crispus), which has occurred in Maine.

At 12:00, the great bird lifted from the water, the extensive black primaries and secondaries pumped slowly as the pelican circled 6 - 8 times, gaining altitude,  then we saw it fly steadily SW past the tree line and out of site.

Although it swam on the water for much of the time I was looking at it, the pelican did not feed.

Three poor photos

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/82344346@N07/8087280435/" title="P1080459 by Peter Vickery - Maine, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8333/8087280435_9eebaf03dd.jpg" alt="P1080459"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/82344346@N07/8087279495/" title="P1080463 by Peter Vickery - Maine, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8326/8087279495_c39395cf0a.jpg" alt="P1080463"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/82344346@N07/8087278843/" title="P1080461 by Peter Vickery - Maine, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8194/8087278843_db3b608a59.jpg" alt="P1080461"></a>
(Ardea herodias)  1
(Pluvialis squatarola)  18
(Calidris pusilla)  12
(Calidris alpina)  16
(Leucophaeus atricilla)  1     getting late, adult.
(Larus delawarensis)  120
(Larus argentatus smithsonianus)  6
(Colaptes auratus [auratus Group])  1
(Corvus brachyrhynchos)  8
(Turdus migratorius)  2
(Melospiza melodia)  3
(Zonotrichia leucophrys leucophrys)  3
(Haemorhous mexicanus)  1
(Spinus tristis)  4

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)