American White Pelican, Eaton County

[Phil Vreeman]

Dear birders,
At 3:00 afternoon headed home to GR from Fishers, IN I had quite an
unexpected surprise.  I was headed north on I-69 and watching a flock of 30
Sandhill Cranes headed SE over the highway when I noticed 4 huge aerial
waterbirds that were flying significantly higher that the Sandhills.  I
threw the hazards on and screeched to a stop on the shoulder in front of
mile marker 46 (~25 miles south of Lansing, close to Olivet) and quickly
popped out my sunroof with my spotting scope.  My initial thought was "no
way, this can't be Whoopers."  There were straight West of my car by the
time I caught them, and headed straight south; while the Sandhills were
headed southeast and getting battered by the high winds, these birds looked
significantly larger even though they flew higher up, and seemed unfazed by
the winds.  They were cross-shaped, but with the short arm being their
body.  Their legs did not stick out from their tail, but seemed hidden.
They had a strong, thick black trailing edge to the wing, which wrapped into
the primaries.  Also their heads were held upright, with very little crink
showing in their neck.  They flew with very few, very strong wingbeats and I
watched them for just over a minute before they disappeared over the
treeline.  I believe that these four birds to have been *American White
Pelicans*, perhaps knocked off course by the high winds and thick storm
clouds that were ~5 minutes (by car in the opposite direction) away.  I was
shocked to see them so far from Indiana Dunes, Pointe Mouillee, or Pointe
Pelee where I've seen them posted before.  These birds seemed to be heading
south with determination, but perhaps they may make their way down to the
Coldwater Lakes or back out to one of the Great Lakes.
Blessings!!  ~Phil Vreeman
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