I’ve seen many more white pelicans around the Monterey Bay this year. They are 1/3 larger than our brown pelicans and love the waterways near our beaches. When you spot a group, spend a little time and watch how they fish. Unlike the graceful diving brown pelicans, the white pelicans have figured out an effective low effort fishing method. You won’t catch them trying to dive for dinner.
Good places to look for white pelicans along the Walk the Bay route are Zmudowski Beach, behind the dunes; Moss Landing Harbor, near Jetty Road; and, Saline Pond about 1 miles south of the mouth of the Salinas River, just off the beach over a small dune.