Sunday Birding at INWR
Published: July 14, 2013
Tags: Parks and Preserves, American White Pelican, Bald Eagle, Black Tern, Caspian Tern, Red-head Woodpecker, Blue-winged Warbler, Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Veery, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Green Frog, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Eastern Phoebe, Willow Flycatcher, Great Crested Flycatcher
Early Sunday morning, I drove out to
INWR to find the previously reported American White Pelican. He was there - big orange feet, huge yellow bill and all! The pelican is a large, heavy bird (up to 30 pounds!) and was very easy to spot - even at the great distance he was at - waaaaay out in the furthest pool amongst many, many Great Egrets.
The American White Pelican has black primaries that I didn't notice until he had taken flight. This particular bird was an immature bird as he had a dusky cap on his head and no "centerboard" on the ridge of his bill (only seen in breeding season). I saw only one American White Pelican in the
WNY area before and that was at Tifft Nature Preserve last June (
Tifft Part Deux and a White Pelican).
Unlike the Brown Pelican, this pelican will scoop up fish while he's swimming instead of diving down to get them from the air - and they'll often fish in groups. When he's caught some fish, he points his bill downward, allowing the water to drain (his bill can hold up to 3 gallons of water!). He'll then tip his head back and swallow his catch!
Shortly after I left the overlook, I saw the pelican fly overhead. I heard that he returned to the same location later on, though.
I did more hiking around the preserve and was treated to some nice sights: Bald Eagles, several Black Terns, a Caspian Tern, a very boisterous and busy Red-head Woodpecker, a Blue-winged Warbler, several flycatchers, more Great Blue Herons than I've ever seen in one day, many, many Great Egrets, a Veery, and a Ruby-throated Hummingbird, to name a few. At one spot, little Green Frogs were everywhere! I had to step gingerly to avoid hurting any as they leaped away in every direction with each step.
I also took a little time to look closer at some butterflies and dragonflies. I don't have them all ID'd yet, but I'm working on it! They sure are pretty when you look at them closely.
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American White Pelican
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American White Pelican
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American White Pelican
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American White Pelican sitting amongst some Great Egrets in the far pool
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This Bald Eagle was getting tormented by some Red-winged Blackbirds at Kumpf Marsh
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Young Great Blue Heron. I must have seen at least 30 of these guys today!
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Black Tern with a fresh minnow
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Immature Black Tern
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Blue-winged Warbler
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Blue-winged Warbler
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Red-headed Woodpecker
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Red-headed Woodpecker - what a noisy and busy guy!
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Red-headed Woodpecker - he was drumming and squawking to beat the band!
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Red-headed Woodpecker
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Young Eastern Phoebe
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Male Ruddy Duck
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Spotted Sandpiper
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Spotted Sandpipers
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These little Green Frogs were everywhere at one marsh; there must have been a recent hatching
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Cute little bunny at Kumpf Marsh
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Spicebush Swallowtail?
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I'm pretty sure this is a male Spicebush Swallowtail
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Monarch Butterfly
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Female Blue Dasher
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Blue Dasher
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Blue Dasher
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Halloween Pennant
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Blue Dasher
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Blue Dasher
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Blue Dasher
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Female Blue Dasher
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Male Eastern Pondhawk