gringorio
Senior Nomad
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Registered: 4-10-2004
Location: Tucson, Arizona
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X12, One Pelican's Journey
A few weeks ago a friend noticed a brown pelican with leg bands. I took some photos to see if I could get all the numbers and then sent the photos
with the numbers and location to International Bird Rescue's Blue-banded pelican Program. They were able to identify the individual pelican. Here's
what they said about X12:
1st Rescue: Adult male brown pelican. Rescued by Marine Animal Rescue on 12/2/2012 from Marina del Rey, CA and immediately transfer to IBR’s LA
Wildlife Center in San Pedro, CA. Treated for an unspecified fishing hook/line injury. Banded as T93 and released on 3/25/2013 at White Point Beach
in San Pedro, CA. Sightings as T93: None reported to IBR.
2nd Rescue: Adult, male brown pelican. Rescued on 1/12/2016 from Santa Cruz, CA. Stabilized at Native Animal Rescue (Santa Cruz, CA) until transfer
to IBR’s SF Bay Wildlife Center in Fairfield, CA on 1/16/2016 to continue care. Treated for emaciation and puncture wounds on the right wing.
Rebanded as X12/0689-05512 and released on 2/10/2016 at Fort Baker, CA. Sightings: 4/23/2016 at Elkhorn Slough, CA; 7/5/2016, 7/15/2016, 08/14/2016,
08/20/2016, 08/27/2016, 08/28/2016 at Pillar Point; 02/17/2017 at San Felipe, Baja, Mexico.
He's one lucky bird and quite a traveler!
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gringorio
Senior Nomad
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Location: Tucson, Arizona
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Quote: Originally posted by paranewbi  | How cool is that?
Thanks Gringorio! I took notice of the difference in leg sizing when viewing the bandings. Could be a photo discrepancy of angle but seems the leg
with X12 is much healthier(?) looking. |
Good observation! I didn't notice that. Aux bands (auxiliary bands) like the blue band can cause injury and that looks like what's going on.
Forgot to mention that I photographed X12 in San Felipe...
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rhintransit
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Location: Loreto
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Thanks...X12 is quite the traveler. Didn't know they had such a range. And supporters. It's sad to see injured birds down here and know there is
little to nothing one can do to ease their plight.
reality\'s never been of much use out here...
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David K
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Very cool to learn the range is so great!
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BigBearRider
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Mood: 
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That's really cool!
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TMW
Select Nomad
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Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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Very interesting that a Pelican would or could cover so much distance. I would think they would stay near a nesting area.
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sancho
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Good stuff, Wondered out loud how he flew Ca., to SF. I thought
maybe so. to Ensenada, left across to SF, that is 100 mi. or so
over land, wife chimes in, you don't know, maybe to the tip and
up the Cortez?
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Location: San Diego County
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Seeing how the pelicans at L.A. Bay crossed over to the Pacific is really interesting. They try each day, circling higher and higher. Only when the
wind is just right can they go over the mountain ridge and get to the Pacific. We watched them from Camp Gecko one summer and Doc explained what was
going on.
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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Pelicans often ride the thermals to gain height.
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A wonderful bird is the pelican,
His bill will hold more than his belican,
He can take in his beak
Food enough for a week,
But I'm damned if I see how the helican.
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ElCap
Nomad
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Location: Montara CA, or San Ignacio BCS
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There are three bird species - Brown Pelican, Elegant Tern, and Heerman's Gull, that reside in California but return to Baja and SOC every winter. My
birding friends refer to these species as the "Three Amigos".
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