This American White Pelican could have been yawning. I didn't hear anything, but I was a little ways away. Whatever the reason, I was able to catch it with its mouth open wide. I even got one shot with its head up and mouth open and pouch fully extended. The bedded down pelican simply ignores it. I saw quite a few pelicans at Fern Ridge Lake recently. They aren't here long and only show up once or twice a year.

I found this quote from 'All About Birds' https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_White_Pelican/id) to be quite interesting:

"One of the largest North American birds, the American White Pelican is majestic in the air. The birds soar with incredible steadiness on broad, white-and-black wings. Their large heads and huge, heavy bills give them a prehistoric look. On the water they dip their pouched bills to scoop up fish, or tip-up like an oversized dabbling duck. Sometimes, groups of pelicans work together to herd fish into the shallows for easy feeding. Look for them on inland lakes in summer and near coastlines in winter."