Rescued Gulf pelicans released in Georgia after airlift

Associated Press

Wildlife officials have released 72 Louisiana brown pelicans in Georgia waters after the birds were cleaned of oil and flown to Brunswick on a Coast Guard plane.

A second group of more than 70 brown pelicans heads to Georgia today after being cleaned of oil from the Gulf of Mexico spill.

The birds were rescued from the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service veterinarian Sharon Taylor watched as the first group of birds were released into Glynn County's Plantation Creek on Tuesday.

"Not only did the Coast Guard fly us here, they gave us this incredible release site," she said.

The Coast Guard brought in reservists to help carry the crates from air-conditioned vans along the long catwalk to the dock where Coast Guard and Georgia Department of Natural Resources boats were moored.

When Taylor and the Coast Guard personnel and others eased the tops off the crates, some of the birds shuffled to the back. Some hopped out hesitantly, while others quickly flew away.

Three floated together near the middle of the creek and others joined them in a flock. Some flew a short distance toward St. Simons Island before flying back and gathering in a flock of about 20 on the creek.

Others flew west toward the Sidney Lanier Bridge over the Brunswick River a short distance away.

The pelicans are among more than 600 cleaned of oil and rehabilitated at a rescue station next to Fort Jackson, a 90-minute drive from New Orleans.

The airlift involved the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and New Brunswick Golden Isles Airport.

Senior Chief Petty Officer Jeremy McConnell, officer in charge of the Brunswick station, said the mission is an unusual one for the personnel under his command, who typically are involved in search-and-rescue and homeland security operations.

"We're working in conjunction with all the others in a partnership in a historic event. We're doing everything we possibly can," McConnell said.

Brad Winn, who works in nongame species for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, said it's hard to tell what the pelicans will do.

Birds with eggs in a nest may try to get back to them, but that's usually birds at least 4 years old, he said. Juvenile birds are more likely to stay in Georgia waters, but even the adults may not have the stamina to fly home.

"These birds have received the very best of care. Certainly it's everybody's hope ... they will survive," Winn said.

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Information from: The Florida Times-Union, http://www.jacksonville.com