Cheeky Baby (Pelican number 810)

Born under a lucky star I'd say! This gorgeous juvenile was flat on the rocks of the Berkeley breakwall - alarm bells! Obviously something wrong.

Out with the kayak and Leonie on the paddle. As the young pelican tried to get away it appeared she had a broken leg and couldn't launch off the water. A couple of very nice young men on a jet ski came to help Leonie and managed to get a net over her - thanks fellas!

But as I said very lucky - 3 trips to the vet which she appeared to enjoy immensely, sticky beaking out the window and sitting on Oliver's lap for over an hour while I was in with Number 809 being operated on. Quite an adventure for a young bird but she didn't think the x-rays were much fun.

Result - ligament damage - hooray! No break. Back into care for a couple of days then released; last seen flapping around getting the human smell off her.

Thanks Leonie for your help - thanks also to Oliver for all the help transporting these birds back and forward to the vet and release.

Betty

Oliver holding "Cheeky Baby" - pelican number 810.

Lucky girl

On my regular sunrise patrol at Berkeley, I noticed a female pelican with a length of line protruding from her beak - 105cm in fact. Fortunately I was able to catch her and a gave quick phone call to Australian Seabird Rescue team member Oliver who lives close by. He came straight down to the harbour and held the bird while I got my hand down into her stomach. It was lucky the hooks had not caught on her stomach wall.

The 2 hooks measured 3cm in length, each with a swivel attached!

Another example of careless fishing -  instead of calling someone for help the fisherman has just cut the line. This little girl would have perished if not spotted and caught with a successful release.

Thanks for your help Oliver.

Betty  

105cm fishing line plus hook found in female pelican at Berkeley

Juvenile Pelican who craves attention!

Well this young bird sure likes attention and he has certainly gained that in his short life so far.

Oliver with the juvenile pelican who craves attention!

He was first caught at Lake Illawarra in June with a hook in his wing, attended to and released. Then he was caught again in the same spot mid July with another hook. This one was in his wing but also deeper. He presented OK so was released.

Ever adventurous he was then reported sitting on the median strip on a very, very busy road. That was one for "Funniest Home Videos" with cars all around us he couldn't take off but boy could he run! Luckily I herded him off the road and caught him. I then took him to Berkeley harbour to be with other birds - not a good enough - 3 days later he was in the courts of a local sports club. Okay something was wrong! So off to the vet, Kim of Cannon and Ball, who diagnosed an infection in the bone so into care for 5 days on antibiotics.

Back to the vet and cleared to be released. Now what to do with this trouble maker? It was decided to re-locate him away from danger. So with Oliver's help he was taken way south of Wollongong to a spot with massive waterways and no busy roads. Last seen swimming happily amongst the oyster leases. Hope he has a long and happy life!

Betty

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

Successful rescue of pelican 714

On October 31st the rescue of pelican number 714 was carried out very successfully.

Whilst walking her dog at Hooka Point Betty spotted a sick bird at the lake edge. She quickly took her dog home and jumped on the phone to Leonie (the closest Australian Seabird Rescue volunteer). They loaded up the kayak incase the bird went into deeper water when they went back to rescue her.

Fortunately they didn't need the kayak and picked the bird up without much fuss. She was quickly identified as one of the "Old" Berkeley girls  - she couldn't fly but still has a bit of strength so hopefully with a lot of TLC she will be back out where she belongs in the wild. Thanks Leonie and Betty.

Pelican 714 recovering in Betty's laundry.

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!