Their arrival has long been a sign of spring in Saskatoon and finally, the pelicans are here.
The first one touched down on the South Saskatchewan River, between the CPR bridge and the weir, on Wednesday, April 18 at 1:54 p.m., according to official spotters.
Every year, the birds make the two to three week-long journey from the south, usually arriving in Saskatoon anywhere between April 4 and 20.
“It’s quite a big journey,” said Kenton Lysak, a senior interpreter with the Meewasin Valley Authority.
“It makes them hungry, so they need to eat up in Saskatoon.”
The nearest nesting colony is Redberry Lake and the pelicans spotted at the weir make the 160 kilometre round-trip daily.
“They can grab as much food as they want and then they can fly back to their nesting grounds,” said Lysak.
The pelicans will stay in the Bridge City all summer before migrating back to sites like California, Mexico and even Guatemala, in late fall.