Sheryl Gay came from Bairnsdale, Victoria to Merimbula to visit a friend hoping to enjoy some sunshine, the beaches and a laugh or two.
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She got more than she bargained for on the second day of her holiday as the friend she was visiting, Marg Shaw is a member of WIRES Far South East branch and has recently completed a seabird rescue course.
The phone rang with news of an injured and very distressed pelican in Eden.
Marg and Sheryl drove to Eden to discover Alan the pelican who was named after the person who telephoned about his predicament.
The pelican was in a bad state with a three-pronged fishing lure deeply embedded in his bottom beak, another fishhook in his left webbed foot and fishing line wrapped around his right elbow digging in due to the weight of the sinkers and hooks attached.
Marg managed to capture the pelican and Sheryl had to drive back to Merimbula where the pelican was treated by Janine and Baron Green who removed all the fishing tackle.
He was then placed into Janine’s seabird compound with fresh sand, freshwater and seawater before being treated with topical and injectable antibiotics and also being checked with a metal detector to ensure there were no more metal objects.
He recovered and Sheryl was at the release site with Marg and Janine to see him fly majestically off to tell the other pelicans of his hospitable experience.