Amarillo doesn't seem like the place that you would really go out and start looking for pelicans. They are really not native to the Amarillo area. I love Amarillo and all but pelicans don't naturally decide Amarillo is the place to hang out.

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In fact doing a search this is something you find out about pelicans from the National Wildlife Foundation:

They find habitats around coastal beaches and lagoons. Although their native range includes the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf coasts, brown pelicans spend a lot of time on small islands away from populated areas. Brown pelicans search for fish by flying low over the water.

So they hang out around coastal beaches and lagoons. Yep that totally screams Amarillo. Believe it or not earlier this week pelicans were in fact found here in Amarillo.

credit: Melissa Bartlett
credit: Melissa Bartlett
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I have a friend who was out at Southeast Park earlier this week. Now Brian always has a camera on him. Good for us that he did. I am not sure I would have believed him otherwise. He took some beautiful photos.

BRIAN BARRETT
BRIAN BARRETT
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These are totally beautiful birds. From what I have read on different posts here in Amarillo there were five of them a few weeks ago. We seem to have three still hanging around. At least they found themselves some water in the area.

BRIAN BARRETT
BRIAN BARRETT
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We, of course, had some people joking around about our new friends:

OMG...you are kidding. Are they lost? They are beach creatures what is wrong with them????? lol - Danita
  Lost and thinking why in the heck did I land in this crazy place! - Brian
BRIAN BARRETT
BRIAN BARRETT
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We are really happy to host them here in our fine city for a few weeks as they migrate back up north. What a surprise and total joy to see them here in Amarillo.

BRIAN BARRETT
BRIAN BARRETT
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Come back and visit anytime. We will try to keep Southeast Park full of water for your next visit.

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