(fb)

It’s always a wonderful feeling to save a life, especially when it’s an adult who will have babies! Several weeks ago, as I was checking the rookery by my home I spotted an adult pelican sitting on a low branch. This is often a sign there is a problem. I slowly boated towards her and as I feared she jumped into the water and began swimming away. There were many birds on nests at this island so I chased her away from the island and then spent at least 15 to 20 minutes trying to get her but it was impossible because she was so strong and could swim so fast and kept putting the moves on me - I was going in circles, forward and backwards and finally decided I had to give up. It’s very difficult to get them from a boat, much less by yourself, which I have done before when I’ve been able to corner them up against the mangroves or a seawall or if they are extremely weak, but that wasn’t an option with this one - she was very feisty and not about to be captured. I decided I would try again the next day, but not by myself and I knew just who I would call. When I was almost to my dock my boat died! It had been running very rough and I knew it was due for a tune up, so thankfully that’s all it was and I now have it back, but at the time I would have been SO upset, thinking I would not be able to get this pelican now - if it wasn’t for the fact that we have our Friends of the Pelican’s boat! I had to use my paddle for the short distance to my dock and then after getting home immediately called Linette Ratay who met me the next day at our Friends of the Pelican’s boat. We went back to the Island and I was just praying the whole way that she would be there. As we were going slowly around the Island Linette spotted her and this time she was standing underneath the mangroves on a large root which is a certain sign there’s a problem. Again we were able to get her far enough away from the island so as not to disturb any nesting birds, and then while I drove the boat, Linette leaned over the side with the net and was able to get her on the first try. Like I said, I knew just who to call! This Pelican went to an excellent rehabilitation facility, the Peace River Wildlife Center and two weeks later I was able to release her here again! Thanks to Linette Ratay, Peace River Wildlife Center - PRWC and our Friends of the Pelican’s boat this beautiful adult will have babies this year! (fb)