First winter and nearly his last...

[pressld2]

After having some issues with my long lens at the weekend, I wanted to test it today so I nipped out for half an hour in my lunch break to Foots Cray Meadows where I know there will be ducks, swans, gulls and corvids for test subjects. As I approached I could see lots of gulls wheeling around in the air above the river in an agitated state. Getting closer the reason became apparent: a black-headed gull had managed to get his left wing tangled up in some fishing line and was dangling from a tree in the middle of the river crying pitifully and flapping his free wing frantically. The only effect this was having was to send him round and round in circles and tangle him up even more.



It was pretty obvious that he wasn’t going to free himself and would need help. Cursing that I don’t just leave them in the boot, I went back to my car and drove home to get my chest waders. Forty-five minutes later I’m heading back to the spot, hoping that he’ll have managed to break free while I was gone, but no. He was still there but just dangling now, hardly any flapping at all.

There were some other people on the bank and, seeing me in my waders, a lady asked if I was the RSPCA as they’d called it in.

"No ma'am. Just a concerned citizen."

I waded out and for the first six feet or so it was a doddle. The water was only about eighteen inches deep and the bottom was firm and stony. Suddenly that all changed and my legs sank deeply into about three feet of mud. It was impossible to walk through and extremely difficult to pull myself out of it and back on to the bank. I’d never have managed to wade out to the bird. Crossing over Five Arches Bridge, I tried again from the other side but if anything the mud was even deeper there and the water came to within a few inches of the top of my waders. Crossing back again I made another attempt next to a large willow tree, hoping that its roots might create a firmer bed to the river but no luck.

The lady was talking to the RSPCA on her mobile telling them that they’ll need a boat and asking how long they’ll be. She’s dismayed to be told that they haven’t even put the job out to anyone yet, meaning it's unlikely anyone would get here before nightfall. I was silently debating the wisdom of stripping off and swimming out in my underwear when someone came up with a better idea. He’d gone into the trees and come back with a stout stick, about nine feet long and as thick as my arm. His suggestion was that I could use it to test the depth of the mud in front of me, but it was even more useful than that. By sinking it in deep I could use it to lever myself up out of the mud and take a step forward. It was hard, slow, laborious work and it took me the best part of forty minutes, but eventually I managed to reach the tree. Twice I nearly lost my balance but was able to correct it with no more than a wet sleeve. With me immediately below him the bird was panicking which made him spin round in a wide circle on the end of his line. But even if he was just dangling down he would still have been out of reach. The stick proved invaluable once again as I managed to lift it up, hook it round the line and pull it down so that I could grasp the poor thing by his body. If I had swum out it would have proved a futile gesture as I’d never have reached the bird.

With the weight of the stick pulling the line down it took the pressure off his wing. I had scissors (along with secateurs and a Swiss Army knife) in the chest pocket of my waders and I used them to cut the line. It was wrapped around his first few primaries three or four times but was a simple matter to snip it away without damaging his feathers any more than they already were. I expected to find a hook but there was no sign of one and no blood from a puncture wound. I felt carefully along his wing and it seemed to be fine, no bumps or swellings that would indicate a break. Which was an enormous relief as I’d never have carried him back to dry land if he did have a broken wing. I smoothed out his damaged feathers as best I could then lowered him gently to the water’s surface before letting go. He looked at me for a second then made a break for it. There was a lot of splashing and I wasn't sure he was going to make it but then he lifted off from the water and disappeared over the bridge and beyond the trees, to a round of applause from the people watching on the bank. Mission accomplished.

Well, almost.

I was still forty feet from dry land and slowly sinking further into the ooze. Fortunately I learned the technique on my way out here and it only took me about twenty minutes of hard slog with my stick to get back again. On the way, I spotted a boot just below the surface of the water and tentatively pulled it up, half expecting to find it still attached to the body of the last bloke that tried this. After checking that someone has called the RSPCA to let them know that they were no longer needed I headed back to my office to brew up a desperately needed cup of tea.

Dave P.

[Dogghound]

Fantastic Dave, well done Mate.

The staff is a valuable wading tool as you found out.

[Deb London]

A very heart-warming story.

I kept thinking, where are the scissors, where are the scissors? Little did I know you had those waders kitted out in a way that would make Inspector Gadget proud. An inspirational tale if ever there was one. Well done.

[Farplace]

Congratulations Dave!!

[Ukwildlifeo]

Nice one Dave!

[Wild-Woman]

What a hero! Well done Dave- definitely worth a WAB medal!!!!

Note of warning though......don't try this at home folks!

[JeffH]

Originally Posted by pressld2

...... to a round of applause from the people watching on the bank......Dave P.

and a round of applause from me too Dave - well done on a brilliant rescue job

Jeff
(Schedule 1 Licence holder for Kingfishers, Barn Owls and Avocets)

[pressld2]

Thanks all!

Originally Posted by Dogghound

The staff is a valuable wading tool as you found out.

Too right! It was absolutely essential.

Originally Posted by Deb London

Little did I know you had those waders kitted out in a way that would make Inspector Gadget proud.

My role model!

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

What a hero! Well done Dave- definitely worth a WAB medal!!!!

Dunno about that Jules. Hero? Or nutter? It wasn't really dangerous. If I'd lost my balance and filled the waders with water I'd have just unclipped the shoulder straps and swum back to shore without them. I'd have been cold, wet and a bit smelly but nothing worse.

Dave P.

[Wild-Woman]

Well there's gull out there that wouldn't be around if it wasn't for your valour!

[pressld2]

LOL! Not everyone would thank me for that!

Dave P.