Monday 30 May 2011

Australian Seabird Rescue -a brief history

Australian Seabird Rescue was incorporated by Lance Ferris and Marny Bonner in 1993 after noticing the number of seabirds (especially pelicans) entangled with fish hooks or fishing line. The main office is based in Ballina (North Coast) with branches at Wyong (Central Coast) and here in Wollongong (South Coast). The South Coast branch receives calls for help from Sydney all the way down to the Victorian border. The mission statement for the organisation is: "to reduce the human impact on the environment". Other than rescuing seabirds, our group is also actively involved in community awareness & education though visits to schools, community groups and street stalls (eg: the Kiama monthly markets). Members also take part in regular coastal clean-up campaigns - in fact the next clean-up will be at the Bellambi boat ramp 9am this Sunday, 6th June 2011. If you are interested in finding out more about our group come down and say hello. We'll be wearing our distinctive blue shirts!

It's always a delight to watch pelicans in flight.

Friday 27 May 2011

The octopus and the pelican.

One evening we were called to a boat ramp where a lady had found a pelican with its head and beak caught under the ramp. The lady said the bird was still alive so Kay rushed to the ramp but unfortunately found the pelican had died. When Rhonda & Bill arrived they tried to pull the pelican out, but it wouldn't budge. It was getting dark by this stage, but a closer inspection revealed a huge, red octopus had hold of the bird's head and beak. It had lured the bird into its hole, and held it tight until it drowned. When Bill finally managed to pull the pelican out, the octopus crawled out and followed Bill and the bird up the boat ramp. Each tentacle was half a meter long. It was like a horror movie!

Wednesday 25 May 2011

Recently Rhonda and Bill received a call from a security guard near Kembla Grange. A pelican had managed to land in a commercial property between 2 high fences. Initially they considered arranging ladders and climbing over the fences, including barbed wire, but then Rhonda decided she could manage to squeeze under the fence with the help of Bill and the security guard holding up the heavy wire. Rhonda caught the bird and squeezed him back to Bill waiting on the outside of the fence. The pelican turned out to be a "repeat offender" as he was already known to ASR (Australian Seabird Rescue). After giving him a feed he was released at Berkeley harbour.


Everyone is happy with a successful release!


Monday 23 May 2011

Earlier this month a number of juvenile Shearwater's found themselves stranded on our coastline. One even walked into the office at the Continental swimming pool in Wollongong. Often the birds are exhausted after flying long distances, especially juveniles who tend to loose their way. It is a delight when we are able to offer these birds some time to rest and recuperate and a little bit of food, then release them back to freedom to continue their journey.
Juvenile Shearwater's

Sunday 22 May 2011

A Pelican named PK


This is a photo of young PK short for Port Kembla. He had a very short
life. He was only 5 months old when he died of a broken vertebrae. Hit by
a jet ski.

PK had just left his Mum a few weeks ago and on his first outing landed
himself in the Port Kembla pool. Hence we called him PK. The life guards
called Australian Seabird Rescue and he was rehydrated, fed and released
to continue his journey. Two weeks later he was found wrapped in fishing
line, hook in his beak, a heavy sinker hanging off him and caught on a
tree branch in Mullet Creek where a kind member of the public called
Australian Seabird Rescue again to rescue him. Two weeks later he was
being his friendly self in Berkeley harbour where he was hit by a jet ski
which broke his vertebrae in two places paralysing him and he was rescued
again by Australian Seabird Rescue but sadly had to be euthanized.

Please be careful on our lakes and waterways at this time of year as we
have young fledgelings like swans, gannets, darters, cormorants and
pelicans that may not be able to fly out of the way of boats and jet skis
and other watercraft.