I apologize if this bird was already reported, but I've been out of town
this week and am so excited I did not bother to read through the postings
from when I was gone.  While babysitting the kids this afternoon, I got the
surprise of the year!  I was loooking out the window at the river with my
bins, at a bunch of mallards and a pair of hooded mergansers, when an adult
AW Pelican landed among them!!  I didn't see it approach, and was shocked
when it came into my view; I almost fell over!  I have never seen one here
(great "yard bird"!), and since it's only two days from my birthday, I just
got a great present!!

It stayed behind the house for a half hour until I went out to photograph
and video it, then it flew up river a couple hundred yards and landed.  It
was up on the mainstem, by the mouth of Western Br. at about 3:10 when I
came in.

Jeff Shenot
Croom, MD