Freeeeee Birrrrrrrd!

Our doorbell here at the Lazy 'C' Ranch has not worked for a while, which works for me. People going door-to-door selling steaks, siding, and political candidates push the button and sashay away broken-hearted because that push caused no noise to sound inside. I could replace it, but I find that a silent doorbell works just fine for me. Our friends know if we're home and they give their knuckles a workout to let us know they're there too.

By the way, shout out to the Amazon woman deliverer who was kind enough to carry a heavy box up onto the porch and inside the door to help Peggy out the other day. 

Anyway, this all leads to me saying that maybe you should always see who's knocking on your door. Especially if you work at a marine research facility in Florida.

Because, the other day at just such a facility, there came a knockin' at the back door, and someone went to see who was it, and lookie here:

This brown pelican was tapping at the door with its beak, patiently waiting to be a patient. It had not been a good day for him or her. Fishing line was wrapped around its right wing, a fishhook was stuck there as well, and a dozen cactus spines were stuck in its left foot.

This is a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) research facility, and Annsli Hilton, a University of Miami research associate who works there, figured someone had dropped the bird off for help. But no! That pelican needed help and knew just where to go to get it!

There's a basin a quarter mile away where lots of pelicans hang around, so this feathered friend walked that distance for help.

The business of this facility is the study of fish and sharks, but the staff brought its new friend right on inside. A biologist held the bird by its belly and its beak, so that others could have access to the injuries.

It only took about five minutes to fix him or her up (although the staff said it seemed like an hour) and then someone carried it back to that basin, where it stretched and flapped its wings for a bit, and then flew off to do whatever a happy pelican does on a nice September day.

And everyone who works there had a cool story to share over dinner!