Saskatoon will soon be on the lookout for a sure sign of spring: pelicans.
Starting Wednesday, people can register their entry in the annual Meewasin Pelican Watch contest.
Prizes are awarded to those who can guess closest to the correct date and arrival time of the first pelican to land between the CPR Bridge and the weir.
Official spotters from the Saskatoon Nature Society monitor the stretch to determine the first landing.
Arrival times since the contest started in 1996 have varied between April 4-20.
Entry is free and individuals must register with Meewasin, either online or in-person, from March 1-31. Guesses are limited to one per person.
Pelicans have been coming to the South Saskatchewan River since the late 1970s, according to the Meewasin Valley Authority.
Saskatoon’s feathered visitors are likely from Redberry Lake, the site of the nearest colony, and make the 160-kilometre trip daily.
Come fall, the birds migrate to sites in California, Florida, Mexico and Guatemala.