Midweek Photo: Pelican In Jamaica Bay

OMG! Al Gore was right! Nature is mad and we’re ALL GOING TO DIE!

Okay, maybe that’s a little overkill. But, crickie, a pelican in Jamaica Bay?! Was it trying to escape the oily sea of destruction and misery that was once known as the Gulf of Mexico? Are temperatures making it warm enough that it’s finding New York City a comfortable habitat? Is it just lost?

Actually, according to this bird-watching website, the American White Pelican – one of the largest birds on the east coast – do make occasional stops in New York State, but rarely do city birders have a chance to see them. This guy was first spotted in the Queens section of Jamaica Bay last week, and was still observed to be there over the weekend.

I’m no birdwatcher, but the idea of seeing a pelican in Jamaica Bay gets me a little giddy; it’s a beautiful bird and it’d be cool to get into Queens and check it out.

Here’s another photo of the same pelican from 10000birds.com. You can check out their site for even more images:

Update: This story originally included four photos from 10000birds.com. At the request of that site’s owner we’ve reduced the number to one. Head over there for more images; it’s a worthwhile click.