Each of us who embarks on wildlife rescue begins with reservations about whether we can do the job. Will I be able to catch that animal? Am I capable of caring for that bird? What if I make a mistake and hurt the creature? It seems like there’s so much to learn. If this is how you feel, don’t worry. Everyone feels that way when they start. The thing to keep in mind is that you’re not alone. Your … [Read more...]

Duckling stories don’t always have a happy ending, but every now and then rescuer, ducklings and mother duck, get lucky. A case in point involved a Pacific Black Duck and her ten ducklings, all born on the third floor balcony of a major city hotel. Not a good place to be born! Ducklings can’t fly of course, and they can’t take the elevator down, but somehow these birds had to get to ground … [Read more...]

I rarely get injured during rescues. A few bites and scratches are inevitable but not much more. One time a big male swan managed to put his clawed foot in my face. Luckily the claws missed my eye. The injury looked really impressive because there was blood everywhere, but the scratches were minor. I think I’ve avoided injury because I’m careful. That, together with a bit of luck, goes a long way, … [Read more...]

A ‘tongue in beak’ look at the feeding habits of local peli’s Most people believe fish is the natural diet of pelicans. Not true. Fact is pelicans only eat fish when there are no ham sandwiches available. I know this because I often get to study the contents of their stomach after it’s been regurgitated onto the floor of my car. For some time I’ve observed their feeding habits and it’s clear to … [Read more...]

I get really peed off whenever I walk at a popular fishing spot and find lengths of discarded fishing line all over the ground. Then I wonder – did I do that when I used to fish? Probably did. I’m sure there were times when I dropped off-cuts of line without thinking. If I’d known about the damage fishing line does when it gets caught around the feet of a wandering bird I would never have dropped … [Read more...]

Black swans are a wonderful adornment to our waterways and bring much pleasure to the people they visit. Watching their graceful movements it’s hard to imagine there could be a darker side to their lives. But of course there is. Like all creatures swans are driven by basic needs. These include the need to dominate territory; the right to mate with a chosen partner; and access to the best food in … [Read more...]