Saturday evening 7th June, 2014, Denise rang me to say that there was a pelican on the Loddon river at Bridgewater with a fish hook in its wing.
Given the contact phone number by Denise and I rang and explained that it was too late to come out straight away as it would be too difficult to attempt a rescue in the dark, particularly on the water. I advised them to keep observing the bird but do not disturb it.
I was out there by 9am Sunday morning. With the help of everyone concerned for the beautiful bird we managed to get it off the river. Horrified to see the size of the lure that was not only attached to its wing by a large vicious tri-barb hook but also another tri-barb hook embedded midway along its upper bill I puzzled on just what we could do.
A phone call to the White Hills Animal Hospital to organise an examination of the bird and then we were on our way. Anna and Murray at the vet clinic were horrified at the size of the lure, Murray used bolt cutters to remove the lure.
I took Bellie Pells, as I called him, home but decided to take him across to Brenda’s as I didn’t have a big pen to keep him in, so Sunday afternoon having to suffer yet another indignity the unhappy but obviously relieved pelican was arranged in my car with his medications and the trip to Brenda’s place was made without incident. So, good luck Brenda and happy pelican sitting.