This evening the AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN again spent most of its time standing and preening, but toward sunset I saw it swim a couple times, then stand in a new place in the water and preen some more - especially under the wings, which emphasizes the bizarre shape of this bird. During one of the swims it also tried feeding by stretching its neck forward low to the water, rotating its head 90°, and laterally biting the water ahead of it. I did not see it obviously catch anything, nor did it seem very enthusiastic in this brief activity. I imagine that a solo bird is at a disadvantage if it typically feeds with a group of pelicans all herding fish into the shallows before dipping them up. Such a massive bird must need a lot of food, and I haven't heard other reports of it feeding.
Does anyone know who found the American White Pelican on 20 July? Mark Miller said it was reported to him around 2pm when he was volunteering at the Montezuma NWR headquarters, but he didn't know the name of reporter or finder, and no one has reported it to eBird on this date. Earliest observer gets their name on the Cayuga Lake Basin 2013 First Records list, along with all the associated fame & glory.
--Dave Nutter
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