5 replies to this topic

[Callie Cat]

I am documenting (photographing) the capture of an injured trumpeter swan in PA. It is way out of its normal range and the ID is confirmed by several experts, I am just along for the ride and to document the problem for a to be designed educational piece. The bird has a fishing hook through the lower mandible and the fishing line through the hook loops around it's neck and back into it's mouth, leaving its neck kinked. Volunteers from the local bird rescue place (Tristate in Delaware) have tried to capture the bird so the hook can be removed. Unfortunately, it is not yet weak enough for this to be easy. It is still flighted.

The plan is to capture the bird and remove the hook and then the vet will administer an antibiotic and evaluate the bird. The attempts so far have involved herding it with kayaks and hiding in the brush to attempt to catch it when as it retreats from the kayaks. The bird will retreat across the lake, but then it flies away as it nears the area with the nets.

Has anyone done anything like this?

Any ideas on how to capture the bird?

[Callie Cat]

The bird has been captured, treated by the wildlife vet, and released. In the end, the key was to go at night.

[meghann]

I'm glad you all were able to help it out! I read your original post and had no words of wisdom.

[BarnSwallow]

Yeah, going at night seems so obvious, now that you said it!

[creeker]

The bird has been captured, treated by the wildlife vet, and released. In the end, the key was to go at night.

Bet that didn't help with the photo documentation.

[Callie Cat]

The photos worked better than I thought. Hardest part was getting the autofocus to work.