Awards Ceremony to be Announced - Date will be posted soon!
The offical pelican to touch down between the CP Bridge and the weir did so Wednesday, April 4, 2012 at 7:00am as observed by the official spotters from teh Sasaktoon Nature society.

Over 2,500 entries were received from schools and general public with a guess of time and date as to the arrival of the offical pelican.

2012 Winners

• Grand Prize Winner of a Mountain Bike courtesy Realty Executives Saskatoon is:
  DA WEI WANG with a pelican arrival guess of 7:00am!
• Binoculars courtesy Don's Photo Shop Saskatoon
  Jacqueline Lavallee
• An over night stay for two at White Pelican Bed and Breakfast Saskatoon
  David Yanciw
• Homestead Ice Cream Pelican Party for a school classroom and a Folkmanis Puppet
  Isiah Paskemin
• A one year membership, water-bottle, and T-shirt courtesy Wildlife Rehabilitation Society of Saskatchewan
  Karen Comer
• Grocery certificate courtesy Pelican Market Sasatkoon
  Ellen Schmeiser
• Watching Wildlife package including a folding chair, day pack binoculars, water-bottle, and a bird identification guide courtesy Meewasin Valley Authority - Five Prize sets awarded to:
  - Beth Bird
  - Krista Koller Klimosko
  - Rhys Mazur
  - Millie Jamieson
  - Susanne G Tschetter
• Interpretive Canoe Tour Charter for 8 in Meewasin 10 passenger canoe courtesy Meewasin Valley Aurhtoiry
  Poppy Brown
• Gift Certificate to the Meewasin Gift Shop courtesy Meewasin Valley Authority
  Bill Cragg
• Deciduous Tree Meewasin Plant-A-Tree program courtesy Meewasin Valley Authority
  Vera Bishler
• Engraved Brick Rotary INternation Peace Plaza courtesy Meewasin Valley Authority
  Laura Sokalofsky

Saskatoon residents have special visitors each summer. April through October, pelicans gather by the weir for fish. These birds, once on the endangered species list, have been a beautiful sight on the South Saskatchewan river since the late 1970s. For Saskatoon residents, their arrival is a harbinger of spring.

Meewasin has been holding a Pelican Watch Contest since 1996. It is a good feeling when each spring Saskatoon residents can guess the arrival time of the first pelican to come to Saskatoon to land between the CP Bridge and the weir. However, it is more than a contest. It is an opportunity to learn about the pelican that once was on the endangered species list.

The American White Pelican is one of the largest birds on the continent weighting 7-10 kg and having a wing span of up to 3m. Breeding birds develop an orange horn on their bill that falls off after nesting season. The breeding birds seen at the weir have likely flown to Saskatoon from Redberry Lake, the site of the nearest nesting colony. The pelicans make the 200km trip daily. In late fall, our pelicans migrate to sites in California, Florida, Mexico and Guatemala.

Prizes Include:

• Mountain Bike courtesy Realty Executives Saskatoon
• Five - Watching Wildlife packages including a folding chair, fanny pack, small binoculars, water bottle, and a bird identification field guide courtesy Meewasin Valley Authority
• Binoculars courtesy Don's Photo Shop Saskatoon
• Interpretive Canoe Tour Charter for 9 in Meewasin 10 passenger canoe
• An overnight stay for two at White Pelican Bed and Breakfast Saskatoon
• Gift certificate to the Meewasin Gift Shop
• Homestead Ice Cream Pelican Party for a School classroom
• Deciduous Tree Meewasin Plant-A-Tree program
• A one-year membership, water-bottle and a T-shirt - courtesy Wildlife Rehabilitation Society of Saskatchewan
• Engraved Brick Rotary International Peace Plaza
• Grocery certificate courtesy Pelican Market Saskatoon

Following are past arrival times the pelicans have been observed by the Saskatoon Nature Society:

• April 4, 2012 at 7:00am
• April 14, 2011 at 12:29pm
• April 16, 2010 at 5:32 pm
• April 12, 2009 at 7:45 pm
• April 6, 2008 at 4:35 pm
• April 15, 2007 at 4:00 pm
• April 13, 2006 at 5:15 pm
• April 15, 2005 at 6:30 pm
• April 12, 2004 at 4:00 pm
• April 18, 2003 at 4:25 pm
• April 12, 2002 at 6:43 pm
• April 13, 2001 at 5:15 pm
• April 8, 2000 at 1:55 pm
• April 9, 1999 at 4:34 pm
• April 16, 1998 at 8:51 am
• April 17 1997 at 12:10 pm
• April 1997 at 12:10 pm
• April 8 1996 at 12:35 pm