Every fall I make a trip to central Washington to photograph American White Pelicans at Chief Joseph Dam. The pelicans gather there below the dam to feast on salmon and steelhead. I have found the birds at this location many times now in late September and early October.

Here are several photographs of American White Pelicans at Chief Joseph Dam from my most recent visit in late September. I love photographing water birds, especially ducks and other waterfowl, so it’s a treat to photograph these pelicans that I can’t easily find in Western Washington where I live.

The only downside of photographing the pelicans at this time of year is that they aren’t sporting their breeding plumage. This photo from Cornell Lab All About Birds shows how cool these birds look are when they are breeding. I’m hoping to find some breeding American White Pelicans to photograph in the future!