Friends of the Pelicans

K9Kirk · Sep 20, 2020

So I went to Fort Desoto in St. Petersburg yesterday and while on the fishing pier I stumbled upon a cool rescue scene. It was of a couple ladies rescuing a pelican that had got tangled in a fisherman's line. I didn't capture it from start to finish but this is what I did capture and I might add ... they are very good at what they do, very professional and crack shots with a drop net.

Apparently, they do this all the time, day in ... day out.
My hat's off to them, they're fantastic people for doing what they do and they don't charge the pelicans not one fish. :angel:

Also, they have a web site, here it is in case anyone is interested.
Friends of the Pelicans

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Dean_Gretsch · Sep 20, 2020

That's awesome, Kirk! Good on them. I hope karma returns good things their way! Thank you for posting this too.

Space Face · Sep 20, 2020

Good to see a happy outcome.

Jeff15 · Sep 20, 2020

Very good interesting set......

PJM · Sep 21, 2020

Great set. These are the things it is nice to learn about. Thanks for sharing.

K9Kirk · Sep 21, 2020

Dean_Gretsch said:
That's awesome, Kirk! Good on them. I hope karma returns good things their way! Thank you for posting this too.

Space Face said:
Good to see a happy outcome.

Jeff15 said:
Very good interesting set......

PJM said:
Great set. These are the things it is nice to learn about. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the feedback.

terri · Sep 21, 2020

Terrific set! Love the images, and especially the final one of the release. So interesting in seeing how these pros know how to hold the bird's beak, chest and body while they work to disentangle him.

I'm wondering if he was happy with being handled during it all, or did you get a sense he understood he was being helped? In the shot where his beak is being forced open - they had to look down his throat of course, but he's literally off his feet there! But in the shot right above it, he appears to be standing still for her. Some critters are known to fight off their helpers tooth and nail! :lol:

Thank you for including the link to this group. I'll be checking them out!

K9Kirk · Sep 21, 2020

terri said:
Terrific set! Love the images, and especially the final one of the release. So interesting in seeing how these pros know how to hold the bird's beak, chest and body while they work to disentangle him.

I'm wondering if he was happy with being handled during it all, or did you get a sense he understood he was being helped? In the shot where his beak is being forced open - they had to look down his throat of course, but he's literally off his feet there! But in the shot right above it, he appears to be standing still for her. Some critters are known to fight off their helpers tooth and nail!

Thank you for including the link to this group. I'll be checking them out!

Thank you. I don't think he was happy until he was released, he acted like he was out of his element throughout the whole ordeal, just nervous looking.
You have to consider that first a net was dropped over him which probably freaked him out to begin with. Then being lifted onto the pier where he's in close vicinity of humans watching and the two ladies handling him. There's a good chance he didn't know he was being helped and only understood his feelings of being vulnerable. Him being scared can't be helped but in the end it's all for the better, he flew away unharmed and maybe he'll tell his buddies us humans aren't so scary after all. :boogie: