Saturday 3/28/09 The Great Tern Rescue!

getting close enough to grab the bird....

steve is trying to work the hook out of its mouth

Steve holds the bird while the other guy gets the hook

Steve puffs out his chest in pride!

Here is the bird moments later, I suppose gathering his composure!

Kim, Cyndi, Steve, Chip and I were sitting on the back of the boat this afternoon solving the problems of the world when I noticed an odd movement over by the seawall. It was under the dock and it seemed to be a bird flapping his wings but not getting anywhere. Looked like he was snagged or hung up on something, but whatever it was he was just dangling by what seemed to be his neck. Steve hopped off the boat and walked up to the marina office to see if he could borrow a dinghy to investigate. The next thing we saw was a Carolina Skiff go by with the dock master and Steve in it, headed over to the dock. Once there Steve held the bird and the dock master cut the line the bird was hung on and they brought him down to the boat so they could remove the rest of his entanglement. Seems this bird had a hook caught through his jaw and beak and the line from the hook was wound around part of the dock. The guys saved the bird and he flew away at first, but kept circling around the boat for a while, like he was saying thank you!