Subject: Brown Pelican Records
Date: Sep 28 11:07:00 1995
From: "Gates, Bryan" - BGATES at assessment.env.gov.bc.ca


Fred Bird asks about Brown Pelicans (BRPE):

> 2. She (Joan Lucas) also asked about "northernmost" records, which I
>presume means anywhere on the west coast.

In British Columbia waters there is one old (1913) record of a BRPE as far
north as Queen Charlotte Strait, the body of water that separates the
northern tip of Vancouver Island from mainland BC. Wayne Campbell ("Birds
of British Columbia", Campbell et al) advises that within the past 3 or 4
years there was a sighting in waters off the Queen Charlotte Islands
themselves, the exact location not available off hand, but further north than
the 1913 record. This latter sighting was subsequent to publication of
"Birds of BC". I know of nothing from SE Alaska, but Joan could enquire of
AK Fish and Game.

This species appears irregularly (possibly one or more per summer) on the BC
side of Juan de Fuca Strait, less frequently in the Strait of Georgia and
casually on the west coast of Vancouver Island. I am speculating, but the
1913 bird probably arrived there by following the outer coast of Vancouver
Island rather than the narrow inside waters of Georgia/Johnstone straits.
The specimen still exists, but it's not talking...

More later if I can find it.

Bryan Gates, Victoria bgates at assessment.env.gov.bc.ca