Wednesday there was a post on the SaskBirders Facebook site indicating a pelican was at the weir. When the pelicans come back to Saskatoon it is not only considered one of the true indicators of spring but there is a contest tied to their arrival.

Thursday Meewasin Valley Authority has confirmed a confirmed sighting in the official splash zone last night at 10:05 PM.

The MVA asks Saskatoon residents to submit a date and time that they predict the first pelican will land  on the river between the CPR Bridge and the Saskatoon Weir. An official pelican watcher will record the actual date and time of the first pelican to splashdown. The most accurate predictor(s) will win a prize. Terms* apply.

In the 28-year history of the Pelican Watch the earliest (arrival) was April 2nd at around supper time, and the latest was April 21st in the morning just before lunch.

Although the pelicans are most commonly spotted by the Weir, that isn’t where they live. They actually fly about 80 kilometres each day from the Redberry Lake Biosphere to fish.