HRBIEL Loc: Rapid City, SD

I have been photographing Osprey at our local lake since the first week in Apr. I photographed them nest building, mating, fishing, hatching eggs, protecting the young from blistering heat, rain, hail, feeding and finally fledging. All was going well till I noticed the youngest continued to sit on the nest while the siblings were learning to fly. For several days the chick would sit on the nest by himself, exercise his flight muscles but not fly. I finally got a good photo that showed although he was practicing using his wings, his right foot was tangled in some debris that kept him tethered to the nest. I immediately called our local Black Hills Raptor Center, who got in touch with GF&P. They have a relationship with the local power company Black Hills Corporation who then dispatched a bucket truck to the nest site. Black Hills Raptor Center has a falconer on staff who can handle birds of prey. In short order, the Osprey was removed from the nest, the material was carefully removed from his foot. Unfortunately, some of the material had lacerated his leg requiring a visit to the vet. The Osprey was driven to Pierre to an authorized wildlife veterinarian where it is undergoing treatment. No further word on its condition at this time.

First photo showing his tangled leg

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Falconer retrieving Osprey

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Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

DAN Phillips Loc: Graysville, GA

Wonderful. Good job all the way around.

SqBear Loc: Kansas, (South Central)

Just curious. Why isn't the Osprey biting the woman's hand? The beak is so close to her hand too!
I live in Kansas just a few yards from our City Lake and we do not have that many Osprey hanging around.
We had several Bald Eagles last year, haven't seen any this year yet.... Heat index is horrible here now!
Thanks for sharing and for making the important call too. It's good to see so many corporations care about the wild life there!!

Jack47 Loc: Ontario

Thank you….thank you for helping. I hate seeing wildlife in distress. The debris looks like discarded fishing line.

Jack47 Loc: Ontario

The osprey seems more focused on the person working on the claw. Maybe he/she sensed that they were trying to help.

nanaval Loc: Cornwall

Great job...

MSW

nicely done

Marg Loc: Canadian transplanted to NW Alabama

What a wonderful story. Good for you for calling and for those who responded. I hope that baby will be okay. Last year we had a heron with fishing wire running from inside his beak and down around his foot pulled so taut that he couldn’t stand up straight. I called everywhere I could think of and got no help. Apparently herons are supremely dangerous.

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

A great sequence. Good for you for initiating the rescue.

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

Thanks for your good work and photographs!

SqBear Loc: Kansas, (South Central)

Strange as it seems, but perfect logic.
Thanks for the reasoning answer!!!
I'm sure the bird recovered and was set free after treatment too.
Beautiful birds indeed!!
Dave

HRBIEL Loc: Rapid City, SD

Well actually the lady in the picture did get bit! It was a small pinch that drew a little blood. Wounds of any nature whether from beak or talons, can be serious due to the amount of bacteria involved.

joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA

Excellent and interesting ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Photocraig

Bravo! Magnificence needs all the help it can get.