[Robcat]

I decided after work today that I would head up to umptanem canyon with the new cam (got a Kodak DX6490) and see what I could find. I tested the ABS system on my explorer when I saw the bighorns. I was so jazzed about the pix I got I missed the bridge entirely and ended up going all the way to the rosa area. While there I got some shots of these birds I don't recognize. Check out the shot of them flying in formation. Anyone else see a flying pig? Maybe I'm halucenating. Never did make it up the canyon! Cheers! R

[Alan Bauer]

Hey Robcat---you located the flock of White Pelicans that were first reported along the Yakima River in the canyon not far from where Umtanum Canyon comes out about 5-6 days ago! After I read the reported sighting of them (a good large number of them too) using the sand/gravel bars and shores to hang out I've hoped to find 5 hours to get over to photograph them and get back home. You had a good day and it's good to know they still are there and haven't moved on yet!! Thanks for sharing. Now maybe I'll toss in the 9 and 5 yr olds w/me Saturday and make them see them too....otherwise I can't get away until next Wednesday (or, let the border collie watch the kids for 5 hours while the wife is in Wash. D.C.....).

[Robcat]

So I assume these guys are migratory, I've never heard of them. Where are they headed I wonder? Where are they coming from? They were camped out on a sand bar, watching trout working the surface. I was bummed that I didn't think to bring my fishing gear. There was a hawk circling the flock from pretty high up, I kept hearing him scream, but my 10x zoom wasn't quite up to the job of capturing that one. I'm really pleased with my new camera. What an awesome day! Peace! R

[Midabry]

I saw this flock (or another) along the Yakima River at Harrison Rd yesterday about 5pm.

[Midabry]

Oops, that would be in Selah, WA. Actually, have seen them several times the past few years in the same area.

[Dslayer]

I've been seeing a flock of pelicans much of the spring at various spots along the Yakima R-I drive from Selah to Zillah every day-I don't know if the ones you saw up the canyon are the same ones but it seems likely-Pretty cool.

[Alan Bauer]

I'd bet they are the same birds and they head up into the canyon to feed during the day? I'll have to check back with you next Monday, Dslayer---if you are still seeing them I might need to alter my planned Tuesday trip next week to take me down that way. The other place I've seen White Pelicans is around the Potholes area. No large groups but rather small groups or single individuals flying back and forth. Brown Pelicans are far more common in the Northwest---if you want to see amazing numbers of them head down to Fort Stevens State Park on the northern tip of Oregon's Coast in July-September. You'll see them flying by numbering 2000-5000 total when they head to the mouth of the Columbia in late afternoon to return to a sand island out there to roost for the night!

[Scrooge]

I've seen a couple thousand of the brown pelicans on the north side of the Columbia on the north end of the Long Beach peninsula, just on the Willappa Bay side of Leadbeatter Point. They'd be standing in a huge long line in the water along the shore until I'd come up to try to take a picture. Then the nearest four or five hundred would fly up and move off down to the end of the line. I did not have Robcat's luck, at all. ps - It looks like an upside down wolfhound to me. Rorschach, anyone?

[Dslayer]

Hi Alan- I can't remember a year where I've seen pelicans this consistently along the Yakima-I'll keep an eye out for them, they're pretty hard to miss-I'll let you know if and where I see them-if I do-between now and your trip.

[Ulrich]

I got my first glimpse at these majestic white bird close to the Roza Rec. Site along the Yakima River. A dozen or so were circling high above the canyon. What a sight! Later they settled next to a larger group on the river. Spent almost the entire morning just watching their foraging strategies.

[Robcat]

Ulrich, what day were you there? You found them sitting on the same gravel bar I did. I was at the rosa site on the 13th. I was just cruising down the road, and saw a flock of what I first thought were snow geese. I couldn't believe that there'd be snow geese in the canyon this time of year, and so pulled into rosa to get a pic of them. I was taking pictures while thinking to myself that these birds looked like pelicans, but could'nt be. "Yeah right, pelicans on the yakima--when pigs fly..." Then I saw the shots of them in flight, and I swear to god I see a flying pig, Cheers, R

[Ulrich]

Robcat, we were in the area on the 18th. A camper informed us that he had seen them on the same spot for the past week. I counted over fifty that day.

[notrace420]

Umtanum is a really nice area if you can dodge the 4x4's and bullets I have never seen so much trash and bullet shells laying around. I still walked away with some nice pictures though. Nice in spring when high country is snow.