Splashdown! Saskatoon welcomes back the pelicans

The pelicans have returned to Saskatoon.

However, the birds aren’t getting the warmest welcome this year, with a snowstorm bearing down on the province this week.

The Meewasin Valley Authority said the first birds of the season touched down between the CPR Bridge and the Weir on Saturday at 7:56 p.m. 

Previous arrival times for the pelicans have been between April 2 and April 21.

Once on the endangered species list, these birds have been a recognizable presence on the South Saskatchewan River since the late 1970s, according to Meewasin.