Local man saves snagged osprey
August 14, 2012
After diving for a fish discarded by a fisherman on Fernan Lake, this osprey became entangled in several fishing lines and had to struggle to stay afloat.
By Debra Hitch

The bird's struggles brought it closer to shore, where Travis Shearer was able to retrieve one of the lines holding the bird and bring her to shore.
Travis Shearer, Bonners Ferry, was fishing on Lake Fernan in Kootenai County August 2 when he and others watched as an osprey dove into the water to retrieve a fish discarded by another fisherman, became entangled in several fishing lines, and struggled to stay afloat.

The big bird's struggles brought it nearer to shore, and Shearer saw one of the pieces of line entangling the osprey, who was visibly weakening.

"When it finally got close enough," he said, "I was able to retrieve the line and pull the exhausted bird to shore."

Carefully distracting the osprey with one hand and with a bit of help from another bystander, he began snipping at the lines tangled around the osprey's neck and wing with a pair of fingernail clippers he'd retrieved from his tackle box.

Once freed, the osprey spent time recovering ...
Before long, the lines had all been released and people on shore stood back and watched anxiously as the beautiful but tousled bird recovered in shallow water.

Shearer's effort paid off as the osprey soon took to the air and flew gracefully out of sight.

When asked why he'd risk a mauling from the raptor's sharp beak and talons, Shearer's answer was simple.

"I've spent countless hours sharing fishing holes with osprey," he said, "and nobody wants to lose a fishing buddy!"
... then, to everyone's relief, spread its wings before taking flight.