IN THE PIPELINE:

I love living in a city where pelicans get so much press. This paper did a wonderful job last week covering some recent news (“A long-awaited flight,” Feb. 18), and I had just been to the Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center the week before that after learning about the dozens of sick birds. Perhaps it’s because I’m partial to pelicans, but still, any opportunity to watch the volunteers at the center work their magic is always a rewarding experience. The morning I went to hang around and observe, there were but three people there, yet they seemed to be doing the work of at least twice as many, methodically weighing, treating, feeding and tending to literally dozens of brown pelicans in their Pacific Coast Highway facility.

Wildlife technician Terri Oba explained to me (while administering medicine and giving basic bird check-ups) that once the birds fly down from states north, they sometimes encounter a shortage of food that can cause big problems. Starvation is a part of the problem, and other seasonal sicknesses contribute to a cycle of issues that land these birds here in the center. Considering the options for the birds, however, the center is a blessing. Oba credits Animal Control with being efficient in getting the pelicans secured in the center, while at the same time juggling many other sea birds also affected by the recent storms. “All this on top of our usual influx of opossums, raccoons and other animals,” she smiled while working on yet another pelican. “This is a busy season for us here.”

Another volunteer, Jack McGrath, carefully carried another pelican to the table to be weighed and examined. Then another. And another.

Debbie McGuire, the wildlife director at the center, told me, “We are still receiving sick pelicans into care. Cormorants are also beginning to come in weak and starving. But the number of pelicans has slowed down a little in the past few days. We released 20 pelicans between Friday and Monday. We are federally banding them for research. We are curious, one, are the same individuals returning into care? Two, are they migrating to Oregon or other places, or are they our year-round residents? We are gathering other information during banding. We are measuring their bills to help us determine their sex, weighing them, etc.”

So the good work goes on, thanks in large part to the many trained volunteers along with the experts like McGuire. As well, I had the privilege of watching the feedings up close, and I shot some video that is available online — I think you’ll enjoy the behind-the-scenes footage.

And a note about food: Each storm-starved pelican in care eats about six pounds of fish daily. With 50 pelicans in care, that costs the center about $300 a day just in fish, and so donations of any amount make a big difference. To help, visit www.wwccoc.org.

Thank you to everyone at the center for their continued exceptional work (and thanks as well to my wife, Jean, for the bronze pelican she just gave me for our 19th wedding anniversary — a year of traditional “bronze” gifts).

Some other notes: I recently ran into Dorothy Knode on the tennis courts. You may remember an In The Pipeline piece I wrote on the Huntington Beach tennis star who made it to the French Open finals twice in the 1950s. Now 84, she’s off to Houston for her last tournament in the 85-and-under category. Then, it’s the 90-and-unders for her. Judging on how she played when we hit the other day, she will be tough to beat in Texas. Go get ‘em, Dorothy.

Also, the city buried a time capsule the other day for the centennial. In it was a copy of a book I wrote (“Huntington Beach,” a book of historic postcards co-authored with Marvin Carlberg) and a copy of the city history DVD I narrated that you may have seen on Channel 3. When that box is opened in 50 years, I hope I’m there, 98 years strong, and that I can write an In The Pipeline about the ceremony.

Lastly, on a somber note, the trial of Dane Williams starts soon, and I pass this thought along from Valen Williams, Dane’s mom: “It would be really nice of you if you could keep the word out to the public that the preliminary trial is starting March 2 and how much we have appreciated all the support we have received in our community.” As things progress and when the time is appropriate, I’ll be sitting down with Valen and her family for a follow-up column. Meantime, please keep them, and their fine son Dane, in your prayers.

CHRIS EPTING is the author of 17 books, including the new “Huntington Beach Then & Now.” You can write him at chris@chrisepting.com .