Wild Pelican Chase on the Mississippi

This week I spent a few days in the Upper Mississippi River Wildlife Refuge after hearing from a friend that there is a colony of white pelicans who have made Sabula, Iowa their summer home. So with a little extra time on my hands this week I loaded up the camping gear and took off. I did find them and a lot of other birds. The pelicans weren’t as cooperative as I would have liked but I did get a few brief opportunities to get them within camera range. The refuge was full of birds, I’m sure I will return again soon. It’s a great place to watch and photograph wildlife!

The american white pelican is a fairly recent addition to this area. Several years ago they started showing up to spend the summer and nest.

Watching the pelicans fish is fascinating. They swim together in large groups all scooping fish out of the water. It sounds like a mountain stream running with all the bills sifting through the water.

And of course there is a lot of other wildlife. I can never pass up an egret photograph!

This is one of those “almost was” photographs. After feeding in one place for a while they all take off together to find a new spot. If they had taken off toward me this would have been an amazing photograph. Unfortunately it’s a photograph of a bunch of pelican rear-ends.

An image inspired by my “Snowy Egret” photo. Not sure it stacks up though.

I’ve been playing with a lot of long crops this year, here’s another egret version.

Tree swallows are a social bunch, they always sit closely spaced on the power lines.

The great egrets like to follow the feeding pelicans around, they take advantage of all the fish being stirred up and catch some of their own fish in the process.