Need a Bird Expert
 

I've posted this here because it seems like the people here on OB know everything.

My wife and I were traveling and hiking the last few days and saw these White Pelicans in a pond more than 100 miles inland and over the mountains from Seattle and Puget Sound. Are there any bird experts that know whether this is unusual behavior? Were they possibly migrating?

Also, does any know what purpose the thing on the bill serves? The only information I could find called it a "flat round plate and said it appears only during breeding season, but gave no further clues. And another question: do both sexes have it or just the males?

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3020/...bcb963e2_t.jpg

no idea, but i'd like to compliment you on your amazing photography! what glass did you use?

I don't know the purpose of the thing on the bill, but I believe it is only males in breeding season. We live on the prairies a thousand miles from any ocean although we have lots of lakes in our north. We have pelicans that nest on our riverbank and they fish on the river all summer in the middle of the city. White pelicans just like the one in your lovely photo. We go to a small lake 60 miles away and they are always there also.

That's news to me. I thought pelicans were sea birds. Learn something here on OB every day!

We live right across the street from a riverbank in a city of 200,000 population and the pelicans fish right out our window basically! We get so used to them that I guess we forget how special they are! There is a special viewing telescope and write-up along the walking path for people to enjoy them.

That is cool! This was the first time I had ever seen them!

I was using my Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS telephoto. This is the longer lens I carry for hiking and backpacking, mostly because it is so compact. The diffractive optics (DO) make the lens less than 6" in length when not extended. It's not perfect, but does a reasonable job.

nice! i've been wanting to get a 300mm. but they are so darn expensive, for a good one. i have a 18-200 vr f3.5 right now, its by best telephoto. that ran us a good buck too

This is not the most expensive telephoto Canon makes, but it is the most expensive lens I purchased though I got mine used. I just didn't want the weight or bulkiness of the larger lenses.

Isn't it a drag that the good fast long lenses are so huge and bulky. Not to mention out of the price range of the average hobby photographer. Sometimes a teleconverter helps and is small, but I bought one recently and returned it when I found it wasn't compatible with 2 of my 3 lenses. That is Nikon, so maybe Canon is better! I was so disappointed.