Great Blue Heron rescued from Norfolk pond in guarded condition at animal hospital | Local News | thesunchronicle.com

NORFOLK -- A Great Blue Heron rescued earlier this week from Bush Pond when it got trapped in fishing line is in guarded condition at Tufts Animal Hospital, according to the town’s animal control officer.

The bird was rescued Sunday and was taken to the animal hospital because of its injuries and is fighting to get better, Animal Control Officer Hilary Cohen said on social media Wednesday.

Cohen said she was notified that the bird was struck in the middle of the pond last Saturday and determined that its head was above the water line. Officials opted to attempt the rescue Sunday for safety reasons because night was approaching.

On Sunday morning, Cohen and Erin Mallette, the animal control officer for Millis and Medway, were assisted by local firefighters and used a borrowed canoe to get to the bird and bring it to shore.

“Bush Pond is absolutely treacherous for a water rescue with the contamination and the amount of garbage in there, that the hazard risk is elevated. It was literally like paddling through brownie batter,” Cohen said in the social media post.

Local firefighters were there “to help us in the event we went into the drink, or we needed lines or branches cut, and we could not access them from a canoe,” Cohen said, praising the teamwork of all involved.

Although the bird was found wrapped in fish line, there were no injuries from fish hooks, she said.

“Fishing is a great way to enjoy nature, but it's important to remember that discarded fishing lines can be deadly to wildlife. Birds, turtles, fish, and other aquatic animals can easily get tangled in the line, leading to serious injuries or even death,” Mallette said about the rescue on social media.

“Next time you’re out fishing, please make sure to properly dispose of your fishing line. Even a small piece left behind can cause big problems for the animals that live in and around our waterways. Let’s all do our part to keep our waters clean,” Mallette said.

In April, the two animal control officers recovered a swan carcass from the pond. The swan died after becoming wrapped in discarded fishing line and from swallowing a lure, Cohen said, prompting her to issue a plea on social media at that time.

David Linton may be reached at 508-236-0338.