American White Pelicans on Shuswap Lake, Sept. 19, 2022.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Tom Skinner
September 13, 2022 - 9:30 AM
A Vernon man photographed a pod of pelicans playing and fishing on Shuswap Lake a few days ago, describing the experience as “fascinating”.
Tom Skinner makes the hour long drive regularly throughout the year to take photos of birds and wildlife. He was thrilled to spend time taking photos of the archaic looking pelicans on Sept. 9.
“The birds were very synchronized in their movements, almost like they were dancing," he said. “I watched them work together in shallow water, forming a circle to herd the fish.”
Along with Shuswap Lake, Skinner has observed pelicans in spring and late summer on Okanagan Lake and Kamloops Lake in the past few years.
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He said some people are unaware they can be found on interior lakes and that he is seeing more of them.
American White Pelicans on Shuswap Lake, Sept. 19, 2022.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Tom Skinner
Pelicans are one of the world’s largest birds and are very unique looking with huge bills, big feet and long wings.
Two species of pelican can be seen in British Columbia, the American White Pelican and the Brown Pelican, although the latter are not common in the province.
“The American White Pelican breeds here in British Columbia,” said bird expert Kurtis Huston of Wild Birds Unlimited. “It appears the Brown Pelican may spend a little bit of time along the shores of the east and west coasts but it would be unusual to see them here.”
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Huston said the birds migrate north and south across North America in spring and fall and are currently preparing to go south where it is warmer, to winter anywhere between Texas and Central America.
“You can see a lot of them on Kamloops Lake near Tranquille Creek this time of year,” he said. “They are cheeky birds and they like to steal other birds’ food, even each others'.”
Skinner enjoys contributing wildlife photography and photography articles to several publications in the B.C. and Canada. He enjoys capturing wildlife and landscape photos with his son.
American White Pelicans on Shuswap Lake, Sept. 19, 2022.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Tom Skinner
American White Pelicans on Shuswap Lake, Sept. 19, 2022.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Tom Skinner
American White Pelicans on Shuswap Lake, Sept. 19, 2022.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Tom Skinner
American White Pelicans on Shuswap Lake, Sept. 19, 2022.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Tom Skinner
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