Conservation of Australian Seabirds and Turtles Incorporated.

25/09/2026

We’re excited to be joining Batemans Bay Bunnings Spring Launch TODAY 10am to 2pm, and we’d love for you to come and say hello! 💙

Come along, meet the COAST team and learn more about the work we do to rescue, rehabilitate and protect Australia’s native shore and marine wildlife.
There’ll be plenty happening throughout the store, with sales, local organisations setting up stalls, activities and a sausage sizzle.

Whether you’re a long-time COAST supporter, a wildlife lover, or simply curious about what we do — come down, have a chat and say hello!

Spring is the perfect time to get involved in your local community — and we’ll see you there!

16/09/2026

RE-WILD WEDNESDAY, 16/09/26
This is the best day of the week when a rescued Pelican is ready to be freed!

In late August, our rescue volunteers, Michael and Yvette, were called out to rescue a Pelican in distress in Windang. The poor shorebird was entangled in fishing line. On further inspection, sadly this Peli had also ingested a fishing hook.

Otherwise, it presented as a strong, healthy, flight capable Shorebird.

THE REHAB JOURNEY TO RECOVERY
The first step was to carefully remove the fishing line. Then, a brief checkup before our volunteers headed home, holding this big guy overnight in a temporary triage hold due to the late hour of the day.

Day 2. The next step was to coordinate the transport of the Peli all the way across Sydney to the Taronga Wildlife Hospital in Mosman. Michael and Yvette have done this many times for Pelicans. On arrival, he was assessed by the specialist wildlife medical team before undergoing vital abdominal surgery to remove the fishing hook. Many people think these hooks will just rust away however that isn’t true and they can cause significate damage to our wildlife resulting in a variety of damaging injures, infections and in many cases a slow and painful death. So this beautiful boy was a lucky one.

Following the removal procedure, this Peli then had to rest and recover for 3 weeks before it was determined to be safe and healthy to release. And today was the release day! Although, from all accounts, when his carrier door opened, this Peli was in no rush to leave Michael and Yvette. He was smart enough to stay around for a quick feed before taking flight. A perfect outcome and result following the horrible entanglement it had to endure.

DID YOU KNOW?
The Australian Pelican has the longest bill of any living bird!
And this guy’s bill measured in at 46cm long.

ENTANGLEMENTS AND OUR NATIVE PELICANS ACROSS 2024/2025
There were 1,933 native birds recorded as rescued across NSW, all from entanglements!
Lets break that down a little more: Of the 1,933 birds…
263 were Australian Pelicans
192 were Pelicans entangled in fishing line/marine debris
118 were Pelicans that were able to be released
These are the ones we know about! Sadly, many become entangled and we never get the chance to try and help them.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO SUPPORT AND HELP PELICANS!
Don’t cut the line!
Stay calm and call your local wildlife rescue group for help
Support wildlife rescue groups like COAST rescue so we can do what we do best!
Help to support and conserve wildlife lives.
Follow us and join in our bi-annual PeliCount.

Photo credits: M & Y Graf
A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL INVOLVED AND TO THE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC FOR CALLING THIS PELICAN IN TO OUR RESCUE HOTLINE.

Taronga Zoo Sydney

08/09/2026

Our native shorebirds face many threats which is why many are now on the Threatened Species List.

At this time of year, and on Threatened Species Day, it is important to point out the challenges our unique and beautiful shorebirds are up against. These are just some of the threats they face during their nesting season along our coastline:
• Coastal development. This has put pressure on coastal areas and means there are fewer suitable nesting sites for shorebirds to nest safely
• Storms. Extreme storms and storm surges can wash away nests
• On extreme weather days, eggs and chicks can perish in the hot sun or freeze in the chilly coastal winds.
• 4WD vehicles. Driving on beaches put birds at risk.
• Predation. Baby birds don’t stand a chance against predators like foxes, cats and dogs.

How you can help!
• Tread lightly and keep clear of nesting bird sites during breeding season.
• Keep pets well away and on a leash if there are birds nesting in the area.
• If on a 4WD beach, stay along the shoreline, away from the soft sand.
• Take your rubbish and discarded fishing gear with you and dispose of it in a rubbish bin.
• If birds are unwell or entangled, please call your closest wildlife rescue group for advice.

06/09/2026

TO ALL THE FATHERS & FATHER FIGURES...
wishing you a fabulous Fathers Day!

This Shorebird Sunday, as families get out and about, we would also like to reminder our communities that Spring is on throttle!

Their are loads of young chicks, cygnets and ducklings around our waterways and parks at the moment. Please tread lightly, respect their space, and if concerned for their welfare, please call your local wildlife rescue group for advice and support. Their parents may be aggressive and vocalise to encourage you to stay back. Please head their warnings and don't put them under any additional stress.

Spring has arrived and their are plenty of new beginnings unfolding right across the NSW south coast. Spring also inspires outdoor activities and the enjoyment of nature so enjoy this precious time of year.

31/08/2026

⚠️GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING
Continuing on from our post on Saturday about the importance of “Do Not Cut The Line” if you foul-hook a bird while fishing.

This week, we want to share a real rescue that shows exactly why this matters.

On Thursday evening, Conservation of Australian Seabirds and Turtles Incorporated. (COAST) received a call about an Australian Pelican in Ulladulla Harbour with a massive fishing hook and heavy leader line attached.

One of our rescuers travelled from Batemans Bay on Friday to attempt the rescue, but unfortunately, the pelican could not be captured.

Thankfully, our rescuer was able to return on Sunday — and this time, we successfully captured the pelican.

What followed was a long and challenging effort to remove the fishing gear.

Our rescuer, Alyshia, a fisherman who was on site with wire cutters, two veterinarians and a kennel hand from Milton Village Vet all worked together to try to remove the hook.

The bolt cutters weren't enough.

We then contacted NSW Health, who were located across the road from the veterinary clinic. They kindly brought over a ring cutter.

Finally, after hours of trying different options, we successfully removed the hook and fishing gear. 🙌❤️

This pelican was incredibly lucky despite having a large hook through its throat.

But this is why we need to get this message out:

🎣 PLEASE DO NOT CUT THE LINE.

We understand that accidents happen. Birds can be unexpectedly attracted to bait, fishing lines can become tangled, and sometimes a bird can be foul-hooked before a fisherman even realises what has happened.

📞 Call for help 0431 282 238

And if the line snaps or cannot be safely brought in and the bird flies away with the hook still attached, please call us immediately anyway.

Knowing where the bird was last seen gives us a chance to keep an eye out, locate it and hopefully remove the gear before it causes further injury.

⚠️ Hooks don't simply “rust out.”

Fishing hooks are designed to withstand the elements. Left embedded in a bird, they can cause ongoing pain, tissue damage, restricted movement, infection, starvation and potentially death.

That hook can become a very big problem for wildlife.

So as the weather warms up and more of our community heads outdoors to enjoy our waterways, please keep this simple message in mind:

🎣 HOOK A BIRD? DON'T CUT THE LINE.
📞 CALL FOR HELP.
🦢 GIVE THAT BIRD A CHANCE.
🚮 ALSO, DISPOSE OF ALL RUBBISH AND GEAR RESPONSIBLY

A quick phone call could be the difference between a bird receiving treatment and suffering with fishing gear attached for days, weeks or even longer.

24/7 COAST RESCUE HOTLINE: 0431 282 238

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Thank you to Marine Rescue Ulladulla and the members of the public who called it in!

29/08/2026

SEABIRD SATURDAY

Graphic content: Australian Pelican with hook and line.

This Seabird Saturday we wanted to remind you of what to do if you hook a bird.

We share our waterways with coastal water birds such as pelicans, cormorants, gulls terns and more. Their habitats have ended up overlapping with urban fishing practices and are suffering as a result.

Especially now with the weather warming up we have gotten a large influx of rescue requests for marine entanglement.

Steps to take if you hook a bird.

1. Stay calm
2. Don’t cut the line
3. Do not aggressively reel the bird towards you
4. Call your local wildlife group (EVERY number is on google). The iFAW app is also very useful to have on your phone.
5. Follow instructions and be patient while we try to get to you and the bird, and guide you through best handling techniques.


As this is becoming increasingly common. If you are a fisher, your chances of hooking a bird are high.

Consider having a collapsable pet carrier in your boat or car with a towel for your fishing days to contain and injured bird.

(Photo supplied by a licensed wildlife carer M&Y)

27/08/2026

We knew it was only a matter of time.

Yesterday, Wildlife Rescue South Coast Inc and Conservation of Australian Seabirds and Turtles Incorporated. (COAST Rescue) were contacted by a member of the public regarding a Crested Tern at Callala Bay, NSW

Today, we were notified that the bird’s test returned positive for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1.

This is a significant development for our coastline and our wildlife.

This is no longer simply a risk we have been preparing for — more cases are being detected in wild seabirds in our local area.

Our volunteers are the people who will continue to be on the frontline when sick or injured wildlife needs help. But responding safely requires appropriate PPE and strict biosecurity measures.

Importantly, there is currently no government funding provided to wildlife volunteer organisations for the PPE supplies they need to undertake this work. Organisations like ours are therefore having to source and fund these critical supplies ourselves.
We have been preparing as much as possible, but the need for PPE is now more urgent than ever.

💙 If you would like to support our volunteers and help us maintain our PPE supplies, our PPE Appeal remains open. Every contribution, no matter the size, helps us protect the people who are out there protecting our wildlife.

We sincerely hope this is not the first of many positive cases — but we need to be prepared for the possibility that it may be.

Please do not approach, handle or attempt to rescue sick or dead birds yourself. Report them through the appropriate wildlife and biosecurity channels.

Our wildlife needs us. And right now, our volunteers need support too.

22/08/2026

Register Before It's Too Late!
📅 Sunday 30 August | 10am–1pm
📍 Swansea Belmont Surf Life Saving

Come along to Waste on the Waterfront and discover how the waste we leave behind can impact our waterways, wildlife and local environment — and, most importantly, what we can do about it! 💙
There’s something for everyone, with a great mix of learning, hands-on activities and community fun

👉 Find all the event details and register here:
https://events.humanitix.com/waste-on-the-waterfront

Have you registered for Waste on the Waterfront, coming up Sunday 30 August, scan QR code for bookings.

22/08/2026

H5 Bird Flu: Resources for Wildlife Carers

NSW DCCEEW has released a resource page for the wildlife rehabilitation sector on H5N1, covering reporting, biosecurity, preparedness, and safety.

The page includes video content alongside answers to common questions. If you handle wildlife, please take the time to watch these videos. Wildlife rehabilitators play an important role in protecting wildlife health and supporting disease surveillance in NSW.

Link: https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/animals-and-plants/native-animals/helping-wildlife-in-emergencies/h5-bird-flu-wildlife-rehabilitation-sector

Please share with your networks so we can keep our carers and wildlife safe together.