Brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) are a very common coastal birds here in Florida. Pretty much any time you get near the salt water, you’re likely to see brown pelicans. We are fortunate enough to be in part of their year round range, so we get to see them in both their breeding plumage and their nonbreeding plumage. The females don’t really change much, but the males become much more colorful during the breeding season. Their eyes also tend to lighten to a light blue or light pinkish color. This guy and his mate were some of the birds that I saw when I went out to Cedar Key in early May. They were actually swimming in the same canal where the roseate spoonbill was, and I do have a couple of shots of the spoonbill wading along beside the female brown pelican. I will share those on another day. The male stayed a couple of yards away, but he carefully guarded his mate, keeping a nearly constant eye on her.