American White
Pelicans
Every year for a couple of decades, these rare birds have been showing up around High Rock Lake. American white pelicans have a normal range that spans from the Gulf of Mexico to central Canada and Florida to the northeastern United States.
They usually arrive late January and stay until the early to mid April but in 2025 the returned in December. The pelicans can be seen all over High Rock Lake and they usually follow flocks of cormorants that feed on schools of bait fish. Most days when they are here you can spot at least a few just below the dam on Bringle Ferry Road.
Pelican Pics from 2025/26
The American white pelicans returned to High Rock Lake earlier than usual. They were spotted around the lake in early December of 2025. It is the earliest anyone can recall seeing them. They have been in small groups hanging out with large flocks of double crested cormorants as usual.
Pelican Pics from 2024
American white pelicans returned to the High Rock Lake area, just like in 2023. The first few birds were spotted on the Tuckertown Reservoir in January, and they have been seen in larger numbers on various parts of High Rock Lake and below the High Rock Lake dam. Last year, they visited nearly every part of the lake before leaving in April.
Pelican Pics from 2023
The American white pelicans arrived around the second week of January 2023. The first sightings of the birds were near the Flat Creek Access on the Tuckertown Reservoir and a few were seen near Tamarac Marina about the same time.
Pelican Pics and video from 2022
Pelican Pics and video from 2021
Here's a video from February of 2020 done for Fox8, WGHP and Roy's Folks. It features nature photographer Debora Montgomery. It was a chilly and drizzly day below the High Rock Lake dam.