What do osprey and fishermen have in common besides a love of fish? Unfortunately, it is occasionally fishing line and hooks. This osprey's foot was hooked and the line wrapped around his tail bringing him down onto a shed. When Karen arrived, he was stuck on the ground unable to fly to safety. He was treated at Pearl Beamer's Sacred Friend's Wildlife
Refuge. After care, he was released in the same area near an osprey nest they were
pretty sure was his (or her's).
What can you do? Enjoy fishing, we hope you catch (and release) a big one, but please be sure to leave nothing but footprints when you leave. Take a few moments to pull in snagged lines, fish hooks, and bobbers - and don't forget your trash. If you are fortunate enough to have a boat, lend nature a hand and grab lines and hooks when you see them. Nothing spoils nature's beauty like the other guy's trash.
Read this great article by Stacey Kiger on fishing line at: http://www.examiner.com/article/volunteer-with-the-virginia-beach-spca-to-clean-up-hampton-roads-waterways She writes that it takes 500 years for fishing line to decompose and includes a link to a site with information on recycling fishing line.
The osprey keeps a keen, one could say "eagle", eye on these people working on his delicate wing.
Note Karen's heavy gloves. She HATES being bitten.
And away he goes! A happy ending!
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