LOOKING FOR THERMALS

I took an early bicycle ride out toward the Sheboygan Marsh trying to beat the heat and humidity. I always have a camera along and was blissfully shooting other things when this cadre of American White Pelicans (Pelicanus erythrorhynchos) flew overhead. They were riding thermals coming off the water and slowly gaining altitude.

Then I looked over the cattails that had broken off the mats out in the main lake and drifted downstream to the dam. Way in the back of the lake I saw a lot more pelicans having an early breakfast. LOTS of them. 

It's not like they're a common sight around here so when they do show up it's a real treat for the locals who tend to associate pelicans with Florida. They do spend summers here...and will stay until the open water is gone, but they tend to congregate in other places than the marsh. So it was fun to see them close to home.

Look in Large.