KIWI SURPRISE

A call came in to Australian Seabird Rescue from a Sussex Inlet resident advising of a pelican with line around its leg. Sussex Inlet is approximately 2 hours south of Wollongong and 1 hour south of Nowra. 

So onto the phone to team member Lisa who lives on the coast near Nowra. She was on holiday in Queensland waiting for a flight home as the state was experiencing flash flooding but said she’d go as soon as she got home.  A big thank you Lisa as no one else was available.

So with her visiting friend from New Zealand off they went but couldn’t find the bird in the massive waterways of the inlet so headed home. But just as she turned on the main highway the fellow rang and said the bird had showed up-so a quick u turn back they went and there he was waiting for them.

The Kiwi caught the bird!!!!!!

After removing the line and checking the bird over and I’m sure some photos to take home he was happily released.

I told her if ever she moved “across the ditch” we would love to have her join us!

Thank you girls well done

Betty

The Workshop

A big thank you to Julie Dunn - the founder of Australian Seabird Rescue South Coast, the workshop day was a great success.

With a really good attendance and Julie's informative and educated talk, a lot was learnt. All participants enjoyed learning about the involvement of ASR volunteers and different aspects of care and rehabilitation of our beautiful sea and shore birds. The day also involved a "field" trip to demonstrate the capture and handling of seagulls and pelicans.

We are now up to pelican rescue number 829 which shows how much we are needed out there and of course that doesn't include the numerous other species rescued by the team.

Julie will be holding two more workshops in November. These will be at Batemans Bay and Sussex Inlet on the 17th and 18th of November 2012.

Anyone interested or requiring more information don't hesitate to ring the ASR hotline on 0431282238.

Betty

2012 ASR workshop held in Wollongong

Julie's presentation at the 2012 ASR workshop held in Wollongong

Unsuccessful trip to Sussex Inlet!

Last Sunday Betty, Leone and Kathryn travelled to Sussex inlet in search of a pelican reported to have a hook in its' leg. At the first boat ramp we went to, we could identify him, through using our binoculars, amongst a group of pelicans standing on a sand bar a hundred metres offshore. Despite his friends coming to the fish we threw, this pelican would not move. We went off to have some lunch then came back for another go. This time he slowly swam over to collect one fish but then headed back to the sandbar. It was very frustrating as it seemed this pelican was in a fair amount of pain, not wanting to fly and only swimming very slowly, but there is not much Australian Seabird Rescue can do unless the birds come within our reach.

The pelican with the hook in its' leg is out on the sandbar.

His friends are tempted by the fish, but unfortunately he remains on the sanbar.