This may not be A Pacific Coast pelican after all! I received this reply today.

"Regarding the blood red pouch color of Brown Pelicans, birds showing this
characteristic during the peak of breeding are seen all along the Gulf
coast. I think the source of the idea that this is an indication of the
Pacific population is David Sibley. Note that he says of this "The
reliability of these characters is unknown". I think they are completely
unreliable. I think that it is a character shown by some individuals in all
Brown Pelican populations. Why some birds show it and others don't I don't
know. It may be like the brilliant chartreuse faces of Great Egrets or the
blood red faces and toes of Snowy Egrets. These colors are controlled by
hormone levels and are incredibly ephemeral, lasting only a day or two and
fading rapidly after breeding."
jca
John C. Arvin
Research Coordinator
Gulf Coast Bird Observatory