It’s been an amazing week photographically speaking. I’ve been wanting to photograph the American White Pelican migration as it passed through northern Illinois. By the end of March though I was fairly disappointed and convinced that I had missed the opportunity this year.

Last Saturday, I decided to take one additional trip out to one of my favorite locations for wildlife, Nygren Wetland Preserve in Rockton, Illinois. My heart filled with joy when I saw a small bright white patch in the waters on the east end of the preserve.

After hiking over to the east side, I got to a vantage point directly across from the pelicans. It was an overcast day which gave me some nice even lighting and kept the exposure range down to an acceptable level.

All total, there were around 15 pelicans at Nygren resting up before continuing their journey. These birds are just incredibly beautiful creatures and a joy to watch. With 10-foot wingspans, they are masters of flight, capable of nearly vertical takeoffs and long smooth glides. I truly am addicted to these birds now and look forward to capturing their visits each year from now on.