Accidental migration? Australian Pelican catching fish off Sarangani

GENERAL
SANTOS, Philippines (Sept. 14) -- Fisher folks in the sub-village of Minanga in
Buayan district here regularly see fish catching bird. But about a week ago, they saw the big one
which turned out to be an Australian Pelican, a foreign avian migrant bird.

Local birds
gliding from afar to catch a fish off Gen. Santos bay every morning has been a
daily thing for 62-year-old Levy Discamento, a local resident.

What caught our
attention, local birds we call ‘agit-it’ flock in mid air and chasing a bigger
bird,” he told and//www.ndbcnews.com.ph www.ndbcnews.com.ph . There appeared to
be a dog fight similar to what we see on TV when planes trade rockets.”

Then he saw a
Caucasian looking man filming the big bird then uploaded on his Facebook.

The next
morning, a throng of men and women arrived in the village with their huge
digital cameras waiting for the Australia pelican to show up.

Discamento
admitted he was almost tempted to take hold of the Australian Pelican since it
was tame and come close to humans.”
However, he said, he changed his mind afraid he will breach wild life
laws.

A bird lover
himself, Discamento reminded villagers never to touch or harm the foreign bird.

Actually, my intent
was to catch the pelican and bring it to a veterinary doctor for check-up then
free it again,” Discante said, adding he was suspicious the bird could be
carrying avian flu or similar diseases carried by migratory birds.

Based on
studies on Birdlife Australia, Australian pelicans are found throughout
Australia, Papua New Guinea, Western Indonesia and occasional reports in New
Zealand and Western Pacific Islands.

No record these
birds reached Philippine waters.

Some bird
experts say it could have been lost or caught off by the storm and bought to
southern Philippines.

Members of
Bird Club of the Philippines who are in town said this Australian Pelican was
Vagrant, a bird which lost its way and must be very tired and confused and
therefore must be left alone”.

They advised
locals who wanted to film the migratory bird to avoid getting closer or offer
food so better photos can be taken.” It
might harm the endangered bird.

A blessing to
locals

Many residents
believed the coming of rare big bird was a blessing. For them, sends hope and
good vibes for them seeing the big bird joining local species in the luscious
resources of the sea.

A bird expert
theorized that the Australian Pelican prefer the sea off Minanga village
because people did not harm it or catch it.”

We see the
bird almost every morning hovering over us as we arrived from overnight fishing
expedition, it must be a blessing so nobody hurts the big bird, we feel it is a
blessing, bringing good vibes to people, we are happy for the bird’s presence,”
said Jimmy Poja, a 40 year old fisherman in Minanga.

Poja is
expecting experts to educate the locals, especially how people react to
something foreign and pleasing to their eyes.

Now, this
Australian Pelican is a tourist attraction and provides source of livelihood
for fisherfolks,” Bebing, wife of Discante, said.

Visitors
came, rent a boat from fishermen to get close to the big bird as it glides over
and over above Gensan Bay,” she said.
Others, buy fresh fish that fishermen take home from overnight trip on
high seas,” she added.

For about
three weeks now, the village has been abuzz with bird lovers and bird watchers
from across the country.

Priest and
Wildlife Professional Photographer Oscar Auckhs Enhaynes, who brought with him
a 600mm heavy lens high end camera, said he hopes the beautiful images he took
from the bird will communicate the importance of wildlife and for all to know
that this creature co-exists with humans.

I was happy
that a bird settles here, I wanted to know how come they are here, to learn
about their purpose of being here, well based on the news, was it the luscious
food resources or may be people were to migrant bird,” he said. Maybe the bird
found a good space where he can freely fly here,” he added.

So it came to
my mind (that) we can also host avian visitors because we are capable and it
says something good about ourselves,” Enhaynes said.

The Australian
pelican ( Pelecanus conspicillatus ) is
a an extra big bird with the longest bill which runs up to 45 to 47 centimetres
in length.

It has a
distinctive, elongated bill with a hooked tip. Mostly white, the adult
Australian Pelican has a short grey crest on its head. It has strong legs, making it good swimmers.

Locals noticed
that the big bird usually appears in mid morning and emanate from a private
fish pond off the bay.

Philippine
bird enthusiast said an Australian Pelican was last spotted in Philippine
waters in 1972. (Ferdinandh Cabrera)