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Brushbuffalo Member
Joined: 17 Sep 2015 Posts: 1887 | TRs | Pics Location: there earlier, here now, somewhere later... Bellingham in between |
meck wrote: | Not sure on what their normal range would be, |
Very interesting! According to Sibley's Field Guide to Birds of Western North America the American White Pelican is rare here. I used to fancy myself as a ( very) amateur ornithologist, and this is the first I have heard of these majestic fliers in Western Washington. What say you, DIYSteve, sculpin, or others?
Passing rocks and trees like they were standing still
Passing rocks and trees like they were standing still
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pcg Member
Joined: 09 Jun 2012 Posts: 334 | TRs | Pics
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pcg
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Sun Jun 03, 2018 7:33 am
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I was also shocked to see them at Leslie Gulch in the middle of the desert in SE Oregon. Maybe they are migrating somewhere?
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glenoid Member
Joined: 30 Oct 2012 Posts: 306 | TRs | Pics
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glenoid
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Sun Jun 03, 2018 4:03 pm
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Lots of these pelicans hang around southeast Washington in May, and they are still here now. Fifty or so like to hang around near Chief Timothy Park west of Clarkston near where Alpowa creek meets the Snake river. We also will see them soaring above Chief Old Bones grave and the Marmes man site on the Palouse river near Lyons ferry. It seems very strange to see pelicans flying above dry grasslands and sagebrush.
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Exmoor Member
Joined: 20 Mar 2013 Posts: 89 | TRs | Pics Location: Snohomish |
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Exmoor
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Fri Jun 08, 2018 2:02 pm
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American White Pelicans have had an odd few years in Washington. As others have said, their range is typically restricted to east of the Cascades other than a rare wanderer and a colony on the Oregon border near Portland. Three years ago they randomly showed up in Puget Sound. The last three years fairly large groups have spent their summers at Deer Lagoon on Whidbey Island and in Padilla Bay near Anacortes. Apparently they even bred at the Padilla Bay location last year. They can occasionally be seen away from those areas as they may search for feeding locations during the day.
The exact cause of this remains a mystery. Originally the assumption was that dry conditions in eastern Oregon were causing them to flee in order to an alternative location, but those dry conditions have apparently been solved and we're still seeing Pelicans.
Do you know what county you were in when you saw the pelicans? I'd love to pass this sighting along to the birder that keeps track of county records for that area.
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meck Member
Joined: 31 Dec 2010 Posts: 920 | TRs | Pics
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meck
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Fri Jun 08, 2018 5:52 pm
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Thanks everybody for the information on the pelicans! I've seen a lot of critters and birdies out in the Olys, just not these ones before now.
My hiking companions already passed the sighting info on to the Washington state wildlife department (fish & game? I don't quite remember which agency). We were in Mason County at the time.
*Just say NO to Rent-Seeking, don't give up the concept of "ownership"*
*Just say NO to Rent-Seeking, don't give up the concept of "ownership"*
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WalkAbout Wally The Kununurra Kid
Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 11 | TRs | Pics Location: Lost in Seattle |
Check out Rocky Ford Creek near Ephrata Too ...
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DigitalJanitor Dirt hippie
Joined: 20 May 2012 Posts: 792 | TRs | Pics
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I've seen them fairly consistently out at Moses lake, and once unusually on the Yakima river down in Yakima. I heard from a co worker they see white pelicans frequentlyon the Columbia near Desert Aire. Interestingly bird books don't seem to show any of the above within range.
Just saw on FB a female moose was caught on camera taking a tour of Kittitas. ?!??? That's... Unexpected, lol.
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Randito Snarky Member
Joined: 27 Jul 2008 Posts: 9495 | TRs | Pics Location: Bellevue at the moment. |
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Randito
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Mon Jun 11, 2018 12:17 pm
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Brushbuffalo Member
Joined: 17 Sep 2015 Posts: 1887 | TRs | Pics Location: there earlier, here now, somewhere later... Bellingham in between |
That's a good one, just what this thread is all about!
Up here in the wild north, bears peak in and out of Bellingham suburbs quite frequently.
I recall reports of a cougar hanging out in Discovery Park a decade or more ago. Lost of rabbits there for lunch, but thankfully no small ankle-biters on leashes.
Anyone recall that?
Passing rocks and trees like they were standing still
Passing rocks and trees like they were standing still
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JonnyQuest Member
Joined: 10 Dec 2013 Posts: 593 | TRs | Pics
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Brushbuffalo wrote: | Anyone recall that? |
Sure do. Back then, when I lived a bit closer, Disco Park was a go-to for stretching the legs when I couldn't make it to the hills.
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WalkAbout Wally The Kununurra Kid
Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 11 | TRs | Pics Location: Lost in Seattle |
Mid Winter I-90 Snoqualmie Pass Westbound past summit middle of the long overpass span with big drop-off both sides middle of road in headlights... Lynx.
No Idea how could have possibly gotten there without flying ... amidst all the traffic ... definitely Big Kitty with Tufted Ears.
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Brushbuffalo Member
Joined: 17 Sep 2015 Posts: 1887 | TRs | Pics Location: there earlier, here now, somewhere later... Bellingham in between |
Keep these coming.
Nancyann very likely saw a wolverine recently on the slopes of Mt. Adams., and Bootpathguy captured a fisher on his game camera. Neither locations are unexpected habitat, but both are rare animals in these parts.
What else is out there?
Passing rocks and trees like they were standing still
Passing rocks and trees like they were standing still
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DigitalJanitor Dirt hippie
Joined: 20 May 2012 Posts: 792 | TRs | Pics
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Brushbuffalo wrote: | What else is out there? |
My daughter just called from home to report a large bull snake parked on the porch right next to the front door which is causing her angst. I told her to get pictures of course. But I don't think that's what you're looking for, lol.
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Brushbuffalo Member
Joined: 17 Sep 2015 Posts: 1887 | TRs | Pics Location: there earlier, here now, somewhere later... Bellingham in between |
DigitalJanitor wrote: | I don't think that's what you're looking for, lol. |
That's OK.
Where is your daughter's home?
The totally ordinary would be encounters like a deer in your yard (anywhere) or a rabbit in the veggie garden.
Passing rocks and trees like they were standing still
Passing rocks and trees like they were standing still
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Mike Collins Member
Joined: 18 Dec 2001 Posts: 3086 | TRs | Pics
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In June a bobcat was walking through my Bellevue backyard with a rabbit it had caught in the front yard. A couple of years ago a bobcat was walking through the same backyard with a housecat that it had caught. I never put up a fence so lots of animals come by for a visit.
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