Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Brown Pelican
Scientific name:	Pelecanus occidentalis
Date:	August 23, 2019
Time:	11:55 am and 1:55 pm
Length of time observed:	20 minutes first time, 5 second
Number:	1
Age:	Juv to early adult, by bill, head colors
Sex:	Unknown
Location:	On the Bear River, observed from just southwest of Milepost 6, Bird Refuge Road to the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
County:	Box Elder
Latilong:	41'21.4"N 112'48.7"W (taken on site)
Elevation:	4219 ft (per Google Earth)
Distance to bird:	200 feet -- but I'm not good at these estimations.
Optical equipment:	Leica 10 x 42, Kowa spotting scope at 25x mag
Weather:	Mostly clear
Light Conditions:	Excellent
Description: Size of bird:	Large
(Description:) Basic Shape:	Unmistakably pelican
(Description:) Overall Pattern:	Brown overall, with whitish forehead and front of neck
(Description:) Bill Type:	Pelican bill, gray, white sac
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	Large pelican bill, ray with slightly reddish tips and white sac. Large white -- not yellow -- front of head and front of neck, with chocolate brown back of head and neck. Eyes in white, maybe ringed by a bit of yellow (see video). Large gray pelican-shaped body, all pretty uniform brown. Large 3 toed webbed feet, gray, and gray legs. I did not make contemporaneous notes or consult a bird book at the time because the bird was unmistakable and familiar to me, because my party and I took many photos showing the field marks (which I will submit). And because I incorrectly assumed that it had been reported already. Many of the observations in this report are from the photos. (see photos)
Song or call & method of delivery:	None
Behavior:	Initially saw it swimming by the bank at some distance up river, then it flew to the river in front of us, and perched on a log, having displaced two gulls. Once there, it preened and sat.
Habitat:	River, grasses on both sides
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	American White Pelican. Eliminated because of the bird's overall brown color, dark (grayish) bill color, dark foot and leg color, and smaller size.
Previous experience with this & similar species:	Abundant experience with American White Pelicans as a frequent (25+ times/year) marsh visitor in Utah. I am less familiar with Brown Pelicans but have seen them nearly every time during approximately 15 visits to Morro Bay, California
References consulted:	Sibley, Peterson, iBird Pro, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology
Description from:	From memory From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting
Observer:	Laura Lockhart
Observer's address:	560 E. Northmont Way, Salt Lake City, Utah 84103
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:	Maisy Phelps, my daughter.
Date prepared:	8/25/2019
Additional material:	Photos, Short video
Additional comments:	Some of the photos and the video were taken through my spotting scope.