Two American white pelicans are released at Mason Regional Park in Irvine, CA, on Wednesday, March 8, 2023. The birds were nursed back to health by the Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center for over a year. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Quinn Woodring, left, Ana Ayala, Luna Tran, Jenner Yamane-Woodring, and Mia Tran, right, watch as two American white pelicans are released at Mason Regional Park in Irvine, CA, on Wednesday, March 8, 2023. The birds were nursed back to health by the Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center for over a year. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Two American white pelicans are released at Mason Regional Park in Irvine, CA, on Wednesday, March 8, 2023. The birds were nursed back to health by the Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center for over a year. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Two American white pelicans are released at Mason Regional Park in Irvine, CA, on Wednesday, March 8, 2023. The birds were nursed back to health by the Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center for over a year. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Two American white pelicans are released at Mason Regional Park in Irvine, CA, on Wednesday, March 8, 2023. The birds were nursed back to health by the Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center for over a year. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Two American white pelicans are released at Mason Regional Park in Irvine, CA, on Wednesday, March 8, 2023. The birds were nursed back to health by the Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center for over a year. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Two American white pelicans are released at Mason Regional Park in Irvine, CA, on Wednesday, March 8, 2023. The birds were nursed back to health by the Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center for over a year. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Two American white pelicans are released at Mason Regional Park in Irvine, CA, on Wednesday, March 8, 2023. The birds were nursed back to health by the Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center for over a year. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Two American white pelicans are released at Mason Regional Park in Irvine, CA, on Wednesday, March 8, 2023. The birds were nursed back to health by the Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center for over a year. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Two American white pelicans are released at Mason Regional Park in Irvine, CA, on Wednesday, March 8, 2023. The birds were nursed back to health by the Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center for over a year. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Debbie McGuire, right, executive director of the Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center cheers as two American white pelicans are released at Mason Regional Park in Irvine, CA, on Wednesday, March 8, 2023. The birds were nursed back to health by the center for over a year. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Two American white pelicans are released at Mason Regional Park in Irvine, CA, on Wednesday, March 8, 2023. The birds were nursed back to health by the Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center for over a year. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Two American white pelicans are released at Mason Regional Park in Irvine, CA, on Wednesday, March 8, 2023. The birds were nursed back to health by the Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center for over a year. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
After being grounded for more than a year, two adult American white pelicans took to the air at Mason Regional Park on Wednesday.
The birds slowly walked from their cages and seemed to put on a show for onlookers as they walked around and stretched their wings. Then, as people cheered, they took to the air and flew to the middle of the Irvine park’s lake.
The pelicans are two of three birds brought to the center dehydrated and with broken flight feathers on both of their wings and broken tail feathers. The other pelican was released after a few months care.
Wednesday, release day for the remaining two, was day 376 of a, “very, very, long recovery” said Debbie McGuire, executive director of the Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center.
McGuire said she expects the birds, which cost the Huntington Beach-based center more than $33,000 to feed during their recovery, to start migrating north soon.
The Orange County boys basketball rankings as of Monday, Dec. 15. The team records are through Sunday, Dec. 14. Notable this week: Los Alamitos enters the Top 10 after a 57-50 win over state-ranked Rolling...
Cypress’ boys basketball team has put together an impressive string of victories during its four-game winning streak. The Centurions have defeated three teams ranked in the Orange County Top 25 since Dec. 12. They beat...
Should Irvine look to take a lead in relocating and storing San Onofre’s 3.6 million pounds of radioactive waste? The Irvine City Council is split. Overlooking the coastline from its 84 acres on the northern...
The fall season is over for high school sports teams. It was a season that featured many great teams and athletes, and a season with plenty of outstanding games and moments. The team of the...
