Pelican Blues

The story began Sunday morning when the Wordy One and I started getting phone calls about an injured Pelican on Albert Lea Lake. We didn't have a boat or a big enough net, so we directed the callers to contact the Wildlife Rehab Center in the Cities for advice. The calls kept coming. Late afternoon a caller (a policeman) told us the bird was now on land. The Wordy One decided he wasn't going to get any rest until he rescued the bird, so with pet carrier and blanket in hand, the Lone Ranger of Bird Rescue headed out. (The blanket was used to throw over the bird's head. This makes them less likely to take a chunk outa your flesh. The pet carrier was used to carry the bird (duh) which makes the likelihood of having a large wing in your face at 65 MPH a nonissue.)

When the Wordy One reached his destination, lots of people were gathered to watch the bird and take pictures. And no one helped him. But the Wordy One got his man, er, bird. Mr.P had an injured leg, but his wings were in good shape, and he was fiesty. A good sign. Fiesty is good. Oh, and one other thing, he had really, really bad breath. Fish breath.

We had to keep Mr.P in our garage overnight. Arrangements were made to take him up the road about 65 miles and hand him off to another volunteer who would make the final relay to the Wildlife Rehab Center in Roseville.

The Wordy One got the bird from the lake to our home. I got to take him on the second leg of his journey. His fish breath was still an issue. Luckily, I hadn't eaten breakfast before I ventured out. He didn't like the traffic on I-35 any better than I did! Every time a loud semi passed me, the Pelican would beat the snot out of the pet carrier. I prayed those cheap plastic bolts securing the top half of the pet carrier to the bottom half would hold! They did.

And when I handed him off, I said a prayer for the bird and the good folks at Wildlife Rehab. And I cried. Silly, isn't it? But I always shed a few tears when I hand off an injured bird.

Today we got an email telling us Mr.P had to be euthanized. His leg was too badly mangled. Part of it was already necrotized . He couldn't be rehabilitated, and he was in pain.

Sometimes it really sucks to have a big heart.

Til later,

Cry if you want to.