• Friday-What'sUP May 24 - 07:11 pm

Pelicans in Marquette? No need to rub your eyes to make sure you're seeing straight, those really are Pelicans, American White Pelicans to be exact.

Shawn Malone, from Lake Superior Photo captured the first two shots, with the pelicans flying in the foggy weather, right by the Lower Harbor breakwall light and then near the ore dock, too. Beautiful birds in motion and how perfect to catch them flying near well known Marquette landmarks.

The last photo comes to us from a newcomer to the Pasty Cam, Bill Thompson, one of the owners of Down Wind Sports, who was on the beach near the Marquette Lighthouse to snap the shot of those Pelicans taking a break on land, but not straying far from the waters of Lake Superior. Looks like 8 of them bunched together like that, probably trying to keep warm, since the temperatures have been hovering in the low to mid 40's around here.

What a strange sight to see Pelicans here in the U.P. like this. According to this webpage: www.borealbirds.org, the migration route doesn't normally take them through Michigan at all, but close by, so these guys must have taken a wrong turn along their journey. I'm sure glad they did, as it's great to have unusual bird sightings and then be lucky enough to have photographers like Shawn and Bill share their shots with us all.

Really great pictures! I saw the 3rd one on FB last night and loved it then, also!

Thanks for sharing!!

Are we sure these aren't like those Marquette penquins?

Strange sight indeed! Looks like Charlie's fresh shipment of birds has arrived. :-)
They look a tad confused in the last photo, like "Who made the wrong turn at Miami?"

Welcome Bill. Awesome pictures! Pelicans are fun to watch. They do "fly bys" through our area, perhaps while en route to the U.P. Wishing all a great Memorial Day weekend. Thought of as the beginning of summer. Feels more like early April AGAIN here!

Oh my, I've never seen pelicans except near our oceans and Gulf. Maybe some of the yearly 'snowbirds' got their curiosity up, talking about how beautiful the UP is!:>

Actually, they've been spotted for a few years now. I especially remember hearing of them hanging out in the AuTrain area, but also Marquette, Munising and Keweenaw Bay.

If you are fortunate to see a fairly large group of
White Pelicans, it is worth hanging out a while in
hopes they take flight. They often will, for lack of
a better term, swarm. The entire flock will start
circling while gaining more and more altitude. It
ends up looking like a giant corkscrew.

We are lucky enough to see thousands of these birds
migrating every spring, here in the upper
Mississippi river waters.

I've told this story many times. So I don't know if I told it to pasty or not. Apologize if I have.... one day while wintering in Texas, I had my "Walkman" with classical music on my ears. When I spied a large flock of white pelicans performing the most stunning display of grace and beauty that seemed to be coordinated to the music I was listening to!!!! I was mesmerized by that whole display. If I live to be 150 years old that picture is seared into my mind. What is it they say that the best things in life are free. I thank the Lord for that experience.