Good Samaritan helps a wild creature in need
While walking along the magnificent Woy Woy waterfront on Tuesday, January 17, we noticed an unusual scene of a man standing in the mangrove mudflats holding aloft a long stick, like a statue or some sort of mime act.
We then realised, on closer inspection, there was a bird dangling upside down from the tree.
The distressed bird, a little black cormorant, was entangled in a bloody fishing line wrapped around one leg and a tree branch.
To climb out onto the flimsy branch was not an option, so a quick-thinking gentleman walked out to the tree amongst knee deep mud and oyster shells armed with a stick.
This big-hearted man stood under the bird, supporting its body weight (with the bird resting on the stick) for over 40 minutes until Wildlife Arc arrived.
The rescue was tricky, but soon after the bird was in safe hands.
The bird was pretty feisty and its leg had a nasty wound from the fishing line.
Hopefully it survives to be released back to the water to feed again.
Hats off to Wildlife Arc and a big thanks to the fella who took time out of his day to help a wild creature in need.
SOURCE:
Email, 20 Jan 2023
Barry Macdonald, Umina Beach