Again this winter I used La Jolla’s California race of brown pelicans as a subject on which to practice through the winter while I am not diving or otherwise photographing. I am still using the same gear as last winter: Sony A-1 with 600/4 and 200-600 lenses. For the usual reason – no crowds – I had great luck in November through the end of December. I was alone on Goldfish Point at sunrise most of the time and able to photograph from the lower shelf surrounded by perched birds which is really the best spot for point-blank flight images. Other photographers started showing up around Christmas and groups appeared in January, and at those times the opportunities change as the pelicans sometimes respond by moving to other perches. Not always, but it happens. I shift to photographing sea lions surfing in January anyway. Below are some of my keeper images of California brown pelicans from the last few months. Probably my favorite among them is the bright-yellow-necked head throwing pelican. I have a lot of great head throw images but one with such a brilliant yellow gular pouch is different and hard to get because a yellow throat instead of red on an otherwise classic breeding plumage pelican is atypical. I have heard such a bird referred to as a “yellow morph” but I have also been scolded for the term because of the genetic implications of “morph” so now I call it a “phase”. I’m not a biologist or avian expert or even what a real bird photographer would consider a real bird photographer, I just like the yellow and have to call it something. I was also pleased to get another braking flight, seen below with wings fully outstretched and coming straight down the axis of the lens, complete with a clearly visible research ID band on both legs. I submitted the band sighting of course. If you like these, I have lots of past articles about La Jolla brown pelicans as well as a somewhat dated but still meaningful summary of how to photograph brown pelicans in La Jolla if you have never been there. Cheers, and thanks for looking!
A California Brown Pelican flying over the Pacific Ocean, spreads its large wings wide to slow down as it slows to land on seacliffs in La Jolla. Adult winter mating plumage with yellow head, red throat and brown hindneck.
Image ID: 40806
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
A Perfect Yellow Phase Brown Pelican Head Throw with Distant Ocean in Background, bending over backwards, stretching its neck and gular pouch. Note the winter breeding plumage except with bright yellow throat instead of the more typical red, yellow head, pink skin around the eye, brown hind neck with some white neck side detail, gray breast and body.
Image ID: 40809
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
A Perfect Brown Pelican Head Throw with Distant Ocean in Background, bending over backwards, stretching its neck and gular pouch. Note the winter breeding plumage, yellow head, red and olive throat, pink skin around the eye, brown hind neck with some white neck side detail, gray breast and body.
Image ID: 40794
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Brown pelican soaring in flight with wings fully outstretched. The wingspan of the brown pelican is over 7 feet wide. The California race of the brown pelican holds endangered species status.
Image ID: 40776
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
A California Brown Pelican flying over the Pacific Ocean, spreads its large wings wide to slow down as it slows to land on seacliffs in La Jolla. Adult winter mating plumage with yellow head, red throat and brown hindneck.
Image ID: 40788
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
A California Brown Pelican flying over the Pacific Ocean, spreads its large wings wide to slow down as it slows to land on seacliffs in La Jolla. Subadult / juvenile plumage.
Image ID: 40789
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
A California Brown Pelican flying over the Pacific Ocean, spreads its large wings wide to slow down as it slows to land on seacliffs in La Jolla. Adult winter mating plumage with yellow head, red throat and brown hindneck.
Image ID: 40795
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Research ID band on the left leg of a California Brown Pelican. A California Brown Pelican flying over the Pacific Ocean, spreads its large wings wide to slow down as it slows to land on seacliffs in La Jolla. Adult winter mating plumage with yellow head, red throat and brown hindneck.
Image ID: 40797
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Yellow phase California brown pelican preening, cleaning its feathers after foraging on the ocean, with distinctive winter breeding plumage with distinctive dark brown nape, yellow head feathers. Note the unusual yellow gular throat pouch.
Image ID: 40804
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
A California Brown Pelican flying over the Pacific Ocean, spreads its large wings wide to slow down as it slows to land on seacliffs in La Jolla. Subadult / juvenile plumage.
Image ID: 40805
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
California brown pelicans socializing and clapping each other with their large beaks, on cliffs over the Pacific Ocean in San Diego.
Image ID: 40808
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Adult California brown pelican in winter non-breeding plumage. This pelican already displays the red and olive throat and white and yellow head feathers of an adult winter brown pelican but is lacking the brown neck.
Image ID: 40778
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
A California Brown Pelican flying over the Pacific Ocean, spreads its large wings wide to slow down as it slows to land on seacliffs in La Jolla. Adult winter mating plumage with yellow head, red throat and brown hindneck.
Image ID: 40780
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
Brown pelican soaring in flight with wings fully outstretched. The wingspan of the brown pelican is over 7 feet wide. The California race of the brown pelican holds endangered species status.
Image ID: 40783
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
A California Brown Pelican flying over the Pacific Ocean, spreads its large wings wide to slow down as it slows to land on seacliffs in La Jolla. Adult winter mating plumage with yellow head, red throat and brown hindneck.
Image ID: 40786
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
California brown pelican breeding plumage portrait, with brown hind neck, yellow head and bright red throat.
Image ID: 40792
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
A California Brown Pelican flying over the Pacific Ocean, spreads its large wings wide to slow down as it slows to land on seacliffs in La Jolla. Adult winter mating plumage with yellow head, red throat and brown hindneck.
Image ID: 40796
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
California brown pelican breeding plumage portrait, with brown hind neck, yellow head and bright red throat.
Image ID: 40802
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
California brown pelicans socializing and clapping each other with their large beaks, on cliffs over the Pacific Ocean in San Diego.
Image ID: 40810
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
A California Brown Pelican flying over the Pacific Ocean, spreads its large wings wide to slow down as it slows to land on seacliffs in La Jolla. Subadult / juvenile plumage.
Image ID: 40777
Species: Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California
