UNSEEN PELICANS

Rock Island, Illinois—October 2017

41° 29’ 24”N 90° 36’ 02”W

Elevation 570 feet

After flowing east across Illinois from Rockford, the Rock River joins the Mississippi near this wetland. About 40 white pelicans, using the Mississippi River Flyway for their annual migration, were resting on the water near the Summoning Clouds Cairn. Unfortunately, these beautiful big birds didn’t venture close enough to the Summoning Clouds cairn to be included in this image. The Mississippi River is a major flyway for migrating birds such as these pelicans. http://www.audubon.org/mississippi-flyway