Cranes? over Freestone 11:50 AM Sunday

[kane]

Just visited by a flock of 20 or so large birds that looked like cranes swirling over our place near Valley Ford Freestone Rd, moving slowly north toward Occidental, Jonive , Fiori Lane area.
Look skyward, can anyone ID? White Pelicans?
Do white Pelicans travel en masse, gliding in circles, swirling around like raptors? Never were they in a line or in 'V' formation.

White with black trailing edge of slightly tapered, wing.

Really outstanding visitation; not seen in my 50+ years here.(maybe just wasn't looking upward) ;)

We were reading on our deck and my wife saw their reflection in her tablet screen!

[Allorrah Be]

Thanks so much for posting this! I will be canoeing on the River next week and hope to see this flock out there by the Estuary! If anyone else sees these or other wondrous birds this week, I will appreciate seeing your posts about them. Very exciting for a big city girl now living in Sebastopol!

Just visited by a flock of 20 or so large birds that looked like cranes swirling over our place near Valley Ford Freestone Rd, moving slowly north toward Occidental, Jonive , Fiori Lane area.
Look skyward, can anyone ID? White Pelicans?...

[JayS]

Saw them also on Sunday, over the Laguna in Sebastopol. Not a bird expert so don't know what kind of bird. Have seen them many times over Sebastopol over the years. Almost unreal. First white, then white with black, then invisible. Big flock. Beautiful and mesmerizing watching them flowing with the wind. Can you imagine how awesome it would be to surf the wind waves like that?!

[chollie]

Saw them also on Sunday, over the Laguna in Sebastopol. Not a bird expert so don't know what kind of bird. Have seen them many times over Sebastopol over the years. Almost unreal. First white, then white with black, then invisible. Big flock. Beautiful and mesmerizing watching them flowing with the wind. Can you imagine how awesome it would be to surf the wind waves like that?!

yes white pelicans https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/...ite_Pelican/id they fly in groups from the Sac river refuges to fish along the cost. no particular order.

[BManna]

I was taken by surprise Sunday when a flock of white birds crested over the ridge at Pt. Reyes lighthouse. They were entirely white! Looked like pelicans, but I wasn't sure...We were already in the car & it was dusk. I saw 0% black.

[forveterans49]

Beautiful picture! :)

yes white pelicans https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/...ite_Pelican/id they fly in groups from the Sac river refuges to fish along the cost. no particular order.

[Larry Robinson]

White pelicans are the heaviest birds in North America.