With a total of 42 rescues January was a demanding month at Wild Bird Rescues.
I returned home late on the evening of the first having spent a lovely week in Perth with reli’s that I hadn’t seen for 8 years.
And for those who think that all I catch is sick and injured birds here’s evidence that every now and then I get a really hot chick! (My adorable great, great niece Marley)
The first 36 hours at home were hectic with four swan rescues, a pelican, a darter and a line entangled magpie. That set the pace for the entire month with rescues coming in fits and starts, punctuated by extreme temperatures and torrential rain.
January was also a month with several tragedies. For those supporters who find this tough reading please remember this is an emergency wildlife rescue service and we have to take the good with the bad. There is always far more good than bad.
We lost Karl and Ting Ting, two swans that I wrote about in last month’s report. Both were special to me.
Despite a month of intensive veterinary treatment Karl lost his battle with swelling and inflammation of the ankle. He was showing no signs of improvement and to release him knowing that he was in constant pain would be cruel. Karl and I enjoyed 8 years of lively interactions … namely me catching and carting him off to hospital, and I suspect him hating me. I lost count of how many of Karl’s kids I rescued during that time. Little did he know that I was his greatest ally. He is survived by his long-time partner Karla who is doing fine.
The second swan, dear little Ting Ting, had a rough time from the start. In her 6 months of life I’d rescued her many times and also relocated her to places where I hoped she would fit in. But she never did. Sensing her weakness she’d be bullied and harassed by the other swans. This would cause her to flee the water and take long walks down local streets where she would beg for food at people’s homes. I would have persisted with Ting Ting but in the end the kink in her neck (from an early break) was becoming more pronounced and she was beginning to stagger and fall; a sign of much deeper problems. Her life was already difficult and it was only getting worse. I couldn’t let that go on.
During January another young swan, plus two pelicans, all succumbed to broken wings. This injury is nearly always irreparable. Some birds can survive for a time in the wild with minor wing breaks but they can’t fly. They are shunned by other birds and they isolate. Many live in pain; develop infections and begin to lose weight. It’s no life.
OK, now for the happy news.
The ibis did well this month, although I guess that depends on your definition of ‘well’. By my standards it means that nearly all of the birds I attended with hook and fishing line injuries were caught and successfully treated. Kristy, who keeps an eye out for injured birds at The Spit, called in two entangled ibis this month. I caught both; freed them of line and released them immediately, saving each bird much suffering. I found the bird at right near Sanctuary Cove. It had been deliberately targeted with lures. He was caught and after being relieved of those uncomfortable facial adornments promptly ran off to steal another snagger from the nearest barbie.
Mid-month it was a privilege to join my fellow committee members, Paul Luxford (at left) and Liz Meffan (at right), for the presentation of the Gold Coast Volunteer Community Awards. WBRGC supporter Rhonda McLaren had nominated me for the Citizen of the Year Award. This was a great honour indeed. Thank you Rhonda. (No, I didn’t get the award. The other nominees were truly outstanding)
A week ago I released young Jack, a 5 month old cygnet, after he’d spent 8 weeks in Currumbin Wildlife Hospital 
being treated for juvenile arthritis. Yep, even swans get it. His de-facto mother, Margaret, who looks after all of the swans on Elanora Lake, was overjoyed and in floods of tears over his return.
We released Jack into the company of his four siblings and parents. At first things looked to be going OK, but spending such a long time away is a recipe for rejection and that’s what it quickly became. Birds can be very unkind to each other and within minutes all of them; brothers, sisters and parents, got stuck into Jack. Although ‘flight capable’ the thought of flying away apparently hadn’t dawned on him and so after relentless pursuits he took refuge up a deep stormwater drain. We lost sight of him for three days. There was a very real possibility that he had perished inside the drain. Happily, Jack reappeared. The beatings didn’t stop but he’d grown a little stronger and was able to take to the air and get away from his pursuers. At last report he still hadn’t left the lake to seek a new home but was able to avoid the constant harassment.
I should explain that swans are loving and fiercely protective parents … that is until their cygnets reach maturity at about 5 months of age. Then instincts kick in and overnight the adults become the ‘parents from hell’. They will not tolerate mature swans (even their own kids) on their waterway and so begin to attack their young to drive them off. This can be brutal to watch but the parents know they must reclaim the territory and their right to mate; their right to the food supply; and their ability to raise another generation of young free from competition. The newly fledged young have to go. If they don’t they’ll be mercilessly beaten or even killed (although that rarely happens). It ain’t all roses in the world of swans!
Mid-month I spoke on Nichole Dyer’s ABC Coast FM breakfast program. Nicole is a great host and always willing to air community concerns. In this case I wanted to spread the word about the third swan in four weeks that I had just caught at Clear Island Waters suffering from fish hooks and a fishing line entanglement attached to a red and white float. Clearly some idiot (or idiots) has been leaving fishing lines with red and white floats unattended and have been hooking and entangling local swans. The fisher probably knows what he is doing but doesn’t care. All three birds would have died had I not caught them and removed the hooks and line.
I’m pleased to say that since going on radio there have been no further incidents and so hopefully the message got through.
It’s not illegal to leave fishing lines unattended. This practice results in countless severe injuries to birds every year, most of which I get called to attend. In response to these latest developments I’ve made a fresh approach to the Department of Fisheries to have this practice banned but have been advised to await the result of the recent state election so I know which Ministers to deal with.
Volunteer Marine Rescue Southport came to the party yet again providing boat transport so that I could rescue a sick pelican off the eastern beach of Wave Break Island. The bird was found early in the morning lying on the beach unable to stand. These symptoms nearly always point to botulism; a virulent organism they pick up from the water. Botulism quickly paralyses muscles (as any woman who has Botox injected into wrinkles will tell you). In birds the illness progresses very quickly and is nearly always fatal unless treated early, meaning in the first 48 hours. Even with quick intervention only half of the birds I get to hospital will survive. Happily this little girl looks like one of the survivors. Thanks again VMR!!
I’m excited to announce that Jim Downs, long-time supporter of Wild Bird Rescues, donated funds to purchase a new net gun. It arrived yesterday from Korea. This indispensable capture tool offers the best solution for rescuing certain species like cormorants and oyster catchers. Both suffer terribly from entanglements and hookings and it is truly heartbreaking to watch them struggle with injuries knowing that many will never be caught using normal methods. Having the new net gun means the picture has now changed completely. Go Jim!
Thank you to all Wild Bird Rescues supporters, donors and members of the committee. It looks like 2015 will see up to 500 rescues attended … all made possible because of your generous help.
Rowley
President WBRGC