PSC Field Ornithology and Brownville White Pelicans

Dr. John Hnida and the Field Ornithology Group

White Pelicans Near Brownville

Every two years, John Hnida invites me to his Field Ornithology class to show bird pictures and to accompany him and his students on short field trips.

As we did two years ago, the class and I walked for a couple hours on the Trace Trail--and on a stunner of a morning.

Bird sightings started out at a less-than-exciting pace, but the birds made a pretty impressive showing that included Wood Duck, Broad-winged Hawk (possible), Bald Eagle, Osprey, Great-horned Owl, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Cardinal, Cliff Swallow, Vulture, Red-winged Black Bird, Mourning Dove, Crow, American Goldfinch, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Great Blue Herons, Great Egret, and a Yellow-shafted Flicker, and numerous "brown things."

I will add to the photographs from yesterday whenever I get a chance to join the class
for their field work. Oh, you will see on the photographs a couple shots of the Women's Basketball team before they took off for a two-mile run.


Friday evening, I drove to Brownville and crossed the bridge into Missouri to view the White Pelicans about which Ellie Kunkel told me that morning.



Thousands of them beautify the waters on the north side of the highway just east of the Missouri River--along with an impressive number of Great Blue Herons and Cormorant. An American Bittern or a juvenile Yellow-crowned Night Heron surprised me, and I wish I could have gotten a clearer shot, but what fun to have one fly by after seeing it along the shore in the distance.

I posted some photographs of the White Pelicans and also some film footage; see, too, the HD video of the pelicans on You Tube.

I hope that you get a chance to see this beautiful display before the bird leave the area.