Sunday, April 1, 2018

Pelican Disappointment


South Padre Island - Feb 4, 2018 - Brown Pelican with a red throat pouch:



As far as I know, "Pacific" Brown Pelicans show red, whereas "Eastern" Brown Pelican's show dark/brown throat pouches. I've read that it isn't terribly difficult to find one with a red throat in Texas, indicating that "Eastern" birds seem to show this feature... but anywas - I was pretty excited to see one myself. 

THEN I SAW IT WAS BANDED! How cool is that? To know where this red-throat-pouch Pelican was born!? Well I got the result last week, and.... --->



It was banded ~5 days before I saw it? What the heck? Serious letdown.