Betty goes for a swim!!

Well this juvenile certainly tested us. Being reported to the police as remaining in the same spot for 1 ½ hours on the water’s edge and delinquent kids throwing sticks at him, he was unable to move so the police stayed with him until I (Betty) got there. On attending I was confident I’d be able to just pick him up – wrong! Though I had “a wing in hand” his instincts kicked in and he headed for the water, taking me with him. Completely submerged the police had to fish me out – thanks fellas!

So dripping wet I waited for Kathryn and Leonie with her kayak. We tried for a long time but failed to catch him. Being weak his last effort to get away was to crash land on a townhouse roof. So I contacted the fire brigade to help. Leonie went home but Kate had left work early to help and bring me some dry clothes. Thanks to Bulli fire station who got him off the roof and back onto the sand with a blast of water. Kathryn also had to go home but no way I was leaving him so freezing cold waited for Kate. But now the bird was very nervous and almost dark, we had to leave him overnight. Early morning he was still there thankfully so contacted Kate to come help Oliver and I. A couple of kilos of fish and a lot of patience with Kate and Oliver in the pouring rain, we got him and into safe care to await a vet appointment. He has an infection and is very anaemic but with TLC and antibiotics he will stay in care for a few days and then hopefully off into the wild to continue his young life.

Betty

Kate with the juvenile pelican after he was finally caught. He is anaemic and  has an infection but should recover fully with a does of antibiotics and some TLC.

A very sad story.

One never knows how the day will run when Australian Seabird Rescue heads out. This day turned out very sad. We don't like telling sad stories but the thoughtless acts of some people has to be related.

We were down the south coast for the 4th time to try and catch a pelican who has a hook and lure beside her eye. Being injured she is being very elusive as it would be affecting her vision.

Whilst coaxing the birds in, this poor little baby (pictured) - barely 6 months old and obviously starving , came in and we caught her. Some thoughtless fisherman has hooked her and just ripped the hook out consequently shredding her pouch beyond repair. Is a 50c hook more valuable than a life! She had to be euthanized. Her injury was probably her first encounter with mankind - she didn't even get a start in life.

I don't believe we are all heartless so if you are out there with your family or friends enjoying fishing, could you all please be careful.

We still have to catch the other bird and in order to buy petrol and medicines we have to raise our own funds. We are all volunteers and we do it because we love it but any help would be appreciated.

Betty

Pelican with badly town pouch.

Spark plugs and pelican don't mix!

It never ceases to amaze me what happens to our majestic sea and shore birds through no fault of their own.

On my usual morning patrol I spotted a female pelican with a tangle of fishing line on her wing. So I raced home to get fish and contact team member Oliver to help. We went back to the harbour to catch and release. Whilst enticing the birds in, this poor big male pelican hobbled out of the water. We caught him and found a big hook in the web of his foot, fishing line tangled around his leg and attached to a spark plug. He also had a hook in his wing. One can only assume that this was some "bright sparks" experiment (too lousy to buy sinkers) that didn't work so was just discarded and left lying around to be trodden on by this unfortunate bird. It could have been a child! It was his lucky day though and he has been attended to and released. Not so lucky for the female who is still out there with the line tangled on her wing. This will affect her feeding as she is unable to preen her flight feathers. But Australian Seabird Rescue will keep looking for her.

Betty

Spark plug and line found tangled on a pelican at Berkeley