Commonplace But Still Sad
This was my first week working for Wings Rescue Center in Rockport
Texas. Since I know almost nothing about wild birds I have little to
say, but today something happened worth mentioning. I went on a call
concerning a sick brown pelican at Cove Harbor, where my dad had a boat
once. When we got there we spotted the big bird sitting by himself up
against a concrete breakwater, my job was to turn on the water at the
fish cleaning stand to attract the other pelicans so we could get this
one alone. I turned on the water, my boss netted the pelican and handed
him across a fence to me. I held his beak and wings and placed him
inside a carrier in her jeep. I was expecting more of a fight. We got
him back to the center, he had a throat fungus and was covered in
mites. He weighed 2.8 kilograms, a little light but not severe. He was
barely moving, and we put him in a cage. While the forms were being
filled out the young pelican stopped moving and died, I saw this but did
not know what had happened. No doubt the stress of being captured
hastened his end. A fishing guide had noticed his behavior about a week
ago but did not tell us until today. Had he been brought in earlier he
might have had a chance. While death in the wild is the name of
the game I felt sorry for this bird, the first pelican I have ever
handled. I am fond of pelicans, I see them daily from the window I am
typing next to. I live across the street from the Connie Hagar Wildlife
Sanctuary and exotic birds are in constant view. Of course the center
only helps the tiniest fraction of the animals that need it, there are
several such shelters in the Corpus Christi area but nature is harsh and
unforgiving. Oh, well, every little bit helps.
Brown Pelican by John James Audubon, 1832.
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