White Pelican on my Irish List

I was down in Cork a couple of weeks ago and got a call to say that there was a White Pelican listed on bird guides or the British rare Birds Alert for Cork Harbour.  After a few calls I was told it was in Lough Beg near Ringaskiddy, the spot where I just so happened to be looking for rare North American waders.  I located the bird on the tern island in the middle of the bay and got the following series of shots.  I wanted to show these to some of the Irish and visiting birders just to prove that the bird had escaped from Fota or some collection, and was not a wild vagrant.  If you look at the photo with the outstretched wing, you can clearly see on the left wing where the primaries had been cut but some had grown back.  It was capable of flight and did so on a few occasions as I watch it.  VICTOR it is on my Irish List.

 Escaped White Pelican at Lough Beg, Cork Harbour © John N Murphy