When Korey Williams let her dogs out for a routine run on the beach, she didn’t expect to end up in a dramatic wildlife rescue — cutting a pelican free from a fishing net with scissors and a blanket.
The dogs ran down to the shore in the Village of Dunnottar as usual. Her rottweiler settled in on the sand, but her German shepherd crept off toward a nearby sand dune — moving slowly, almost cautiously, around a group of birds.
As Williams followed, she spotted a pelican sitting alone on the sandbar. Instead of flying away when approached, it flailed its wings helplessly.
“I didn’t know whether to be scared for me, my dog, or the pelican,” she said. “I just started running down the beach screaming her name.”
Williams’ partner, Dave Konesall, had just arrived home and heard the commotion. He ran to the beach, helped bring the dogs inside, and the couple returned to check on the struggling bird.
Upon closer inspection, they saw the pelican was tangled in a fishing net that had washed up on the sandbar. The net was caught on the pelican’s carbuncle — a hard, calcified bump on the beak that forms during mating season. It had become entwined with the jagged edges of the growth.
The net was also filled with about 40 fish. Konesall guessed the pelican likely stuck its beak in too far while going for a snack.
The couple grabbed a blanket and a pair of scissors, unsure of how the pelican would react.
“Everyone knows you put a blanket over the bird’s eyes, and it’s lights out,” said Williams.
To their relief, the pelican calmed immediately once its head was covered. Konesall carefully cut the net free. Up close, the bird’s size was striking — its 10-foot wingspan and piercing blue eyes left a strong impression.
With just a few snips, the bird was free and flew off to rejoin its flock as if nothing had happened.
Konesall said it’s rare to find a full fishing net washed ashore. While shreds of commercial netting occasionally appear, this one — about a tenth the size of a commercial net — was almost completely intact.
After the rescue, the couple was unable to move the heavy net due to the weight of the trapped fish. Conservation officers were unavailable to assist due to wildfire response efforts across the province.
Williams captured the rescue on video and shared it on Facebook, where it quickly gained attention. She said her goal was to raise awareness and remind people to be more responsible around Manitoba’s lakes.
“Our waste affects wildlife that call the lakes home,” she said. “We need to know how important it is to be responsible for things like your net, your garbage — whatever you bring to the lake.”
