American White Pelican, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos. The latin name means red-billed pelican. Kind of like Rudolph! They do have a little rosy flush anyhow. I've wanted to get a decent picture of these birds for a while. They have them in interior lakes and at the salton sea but they're not as common on the coast.
I've seen them circling on thermals on the way to school (but, failed to get the camera out soon enough...). I've seen them sleeping but ended up with headless pictures (head tucked under the wing)! Well, here they are in all their glory, herding fish as they dip into the shallow water for dinner. They are spectacular birds, all fluffy white feathers and contrasting orange-pink beaks! In a group, they give any white swan a good run for the money!
