REMOVING decomposing birds who died as a result of the October hailstorm, from high up in a very tall paperbark tree, was one of this week’s more challenging tasks for WIRES.

Patricia Russell, WIRES Mid North Coast Bird Coordinator for South Coffs, and fellow volunteer Jody Shone from Bonville, coordinated the removal of the decomposing Spoonbills while checking on remaining nests a-top the trees in Barcoo Court, Toormina with the help of two men and some ropes.

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Rallying to the Sawtell Community Facebook call for help reaching the lofty nests, arborists Will Maccabee and Nigel Tweddle, partners in Tweddle’s Trees, teed-up with Patricia and Jody to meet onsite and assess the situation.

“After some discussions a plan was devised to try and get a look in and around the nests and evaluate the damage, which meant a climb for the arborists,” Jody told News Of The Area.

“Nigel geared up and ascended the tree.

“He approached the first of three nests to find that sadly two juveniles were deceased.

“Whilst up there he got to see that the other two nests had adults attending and appeared to be uninjured from the hail, witnessing them fly away and return.

“Earlier in the week, the Barcoo Court residents found two dead chicks on the ground which they buried,” Patricia told News Of The Area.

“A bit over a week later, the residents reported to WIRES that more birds were dead in the tree; they hadn’t fallen and we’re still hanging up there.

“Both were found to be juveniles – one suspended from the largest nest and another was jammed in thick branches too high for rescuers to reach from the ground.

“These bodies were decomposing and beginning to smell badly.

“Mark and Will did a great job climbing to remove the corpses and assess if injured or orphaned birds remained.”

With storms around and building up, “It was an anxious time, but the positive result of the effort was that no additional bodies were found than initially reported by residents.

“There were no chicks left, dead or alive, in the main nest.”

The smaller nests weren’t so accessible to view, but if there were chicks alive in those, WIRES assumed the adult birds sighted would be caring for them.

Patricia and Jody said, “It was courageous work done by the men who volunteered their services with WIRES and the residents are extremely grateful to Nigel and Will for their help.”

By Andrea FERRARI