Pelicans on the Rocks

by Mary Lynn Giacomini

Title

Pelicans on the Rocks

Artist

Mary Lynn Giacomini

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

Photography by Mary Lynn Giacomini
Photographed Lincoln Memorial Gardens, Springfield, Illinois
A morning stroll through Lincoln Memorial Gardens, 100 acre woodland and prairie garden dedicated to Abraham Lincoln. The nature park seem to lead us through the winding paths down to the lake were hundred of white Pelicans were migrating. A beautiful site to see the hundreds of white Pelicans not far from shore enjoying the morning light.

Lincoln Memorial Garden is the inspiration of Springfield Civic Garden Club leader Harriet Knudson. When Knudson learned that the city of Springfield was acquiring land for the basin of a new reservoir, intended to serve as a source of city drinking water, she asked the city to set aside approximately 0.6 miles (1 km) of future shoreline as a garden to memorialize Abraham Lincoln .

As designer of the new garden, LMG selected Jens Jensen. A follower of the Prairie Style and its ideal of "organic architecture," Jensen designed the garden to reflect an idealized vision of the Midwestern woods and prairies. In his 1935 design, Jensen placed eight council rings, his design icon, throughout the Garden. These fire circles, built of Midwestern splitstone, are designed for groups of 12–50 people to sit together around an open fire. Most of the fire circles are situated to give all participants a view of Lake Springfield. By sitting in a fire circle, visitors have the opportunity to balance the four elements within themselves.

The American White Pelican (Pelcanus erythro-rhynchos), the huge, majestic flier described above is a member of the bird Order Pelecaniformes that contains six families, including Anhingas, Cormorants, Tropic Birds, Boobies, and Gannets. All birds in that order are distinguished by having all four of their toes connected by webs, bills that are as long or longer than their heads, and expandable throat pouches for catching and holding prey.
American White Pelicans live on the coasts of the U.S. as well as lakes and rivers throughout the interior of the country. They are annual migrants in Illinois, usually arriving in the state in May and staying until September and October. Their autumn migration takes them to wintering grounds as far west as northern California and as far south as the island of Trinidad in the Caribbean. They are strong fliers who alternate flapping and gliding, and they can soar on thermals like hawks during migration at speeds up to 30 miles per hour. They migrate in “V” formation, often soaring to great heights. In Illinois, White Pelicans have been observed migrating in flocks that number in the hundreds to thousands.
Illinois American White Pelicans can be found along rivers and large inland lakes throughout the state. They seem to be more abundant in the western part of the state, especially along the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, but they have also been seen in the Chicago area, at Clinton Lake in east-central Illinois, at Carlyle Lake in southern Illinois, as well as at ponds and gravel pits. White pelicans may range up to 50 miles from their base when feeding.
These are large birds with bodies up to 5 feet in length, bills that reach 14 inches, wings that measure 22 inches from front to rear edges, and wing spans up to 9 feet. Their heads are white with distinctive throat pouches, the necks are long, and the wings are white with black tips. White Pelicans are a dramatic sight when making a low glide across the water.

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October 23rd, 2019

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