Tag Archives: American White Pelican

Buff-breasted Sandpiper, September 8, 2022

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

Buff-breasted Sandpiper (click to see the larger version)

The late summer shorebird bonanza continues at Montrose Beach. The show stealer on September 8 was a Buff-breasted Sandpiper that walked and fed nonchalantly among birders on the fishing pier. Shorebirds will often feed on the pier but this may be the first time a Buffy has done so. Other shorebirds seen at Montrose Beach on September 8 include the continuing juvenile Red Knot, 2 Baird’s Sandpipers, and 2 Greater Yellowlegs. Though not a shorebird, a surprise American White Pelican was also resting on the beach. We see a few flyover White Pelicans at Montrose each year, but this may be the first time one has set foot on land there.

American White Pelican, October 21, 2018

American White Pelican

American White Pelican (click to see the larger version)

Hardly rare in Illinois these days but still unusual along the Chicago lakefront, this American White Pelican flew over Montrose Point on October 21. I’ve only seen a handful of American White Pelicans at Montrose in my 40+ years birding there, so this was exciting.

Sometimes when you look up you see good things.