On the way to Yacolt, we were given a call to rescue this Osprey who was tangled up in fishing line near the Columbian River.
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I could tell that this would be a challenge.
The bird was placed on a blanket to untangle him and assess the damage. 
(CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO VIEW IN DETAIL)Upon getting the bird untangled from the net we discovered that there was fishing line around it’s’ neck and much more untangling to do.
Once the net was off we found that we had our work cut out for us.
It appeared that there was a lot of fishing line wrapped around this bird’s legs.
First we needed to remove the stick with most of the fishing line.
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It became rapidly apparent that the bird had been tangled in fishing line for over one day.
So the mission began...
Once his legs were cut free. We worked on one leg at a time..(CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO VIEW IN DETAIL)
If you look close you’ll notice the inflammation on the bird’s leg.
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The fishing line was deeply embedded into the muscle of the leg.
After just five minutes of working on the bird in the field, the Osprey was docile. It sensed that we were there to help. 
Time to seperate the bird from the net. 
Upon closer examination, it was obvious that this juvenile Osprey had been in distress for days.
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Now, the long task of removing the fishing line.
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It took over five minutes to untangle the first set of knots.
The fishing line had been deeply embedded in the bird’s leg for two days or more.(CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO VIEW IN DETAIL)
Taking a close look at the scabbing on the leg, I needed to irrigate with saline solution to help loosen the fishing line.
So the task began of getting all of the fishing line out of this obviously infected leg.
The more we looked, the more fishing line we found.
15 minutes into this procedure, my hands started to get tired. 
As I worked on the bird, he started to flex his talons. He must have felt the circulation of blood return to his leg.
The removal of fishing line continued for over thirty minutes.
After flushing out the wounds, you can still see a small amount milky liquid flow out of the wound.
(CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO VIEW IN DETAIL)
While working on this second embedded set of fishing line...
I noticed the bird starting to tire.
This bird gave me a small nip on the back side of my hand, as if to say I need a break..
After a few minutes of rest, it was time to continue.
But first I gave this aquatic bird of prey a little dose of electrolytes for hydration.
This young juvenile was happy to be hydrated. I could only administer a small amount knowing that I did not want him to aspirate during transport.
Now, time for transport.
He was alert and apparently coming out of shock.
Time for a slow transport to a wildlife specialist. 
Now, after arriving at a veterinarian’s, the bird is out of shock and pain.
Now it's time for a nap..
Now, with medication and a fresh bandage he is placed in a safe, quiet container. 
So the task began of getting all of the fishing line out of this obviously infected leg.
The more we looked, the more fishing line we found.
15 minutes into this procedure, my hands started to get tired. 
As I worked on the bird, he started to flex his talons. He must have felt the circulation of blood return to his leg.
The removal of fishing line continued for over thirty minutes.
After flushing out the wounds, you can still see a small amount milky liquid flow out of the wound.
(CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO VIEW IN DETAIL)While working on this second embedded set of fishing line...
I noticed the bird starting to tire.
This bird gave me a small nip on the back side of my hand, as if to say I need a break..
After a few minutes of rest, it was time to continue.
But first I gave this aquatic bird of prey a little dose of electrolytes for hydration.
This young juvenile was happy to be hydrated. I could only administer a small amount knowing that I did not want him to aspirate during transport.
Now, time for transport.
He was alert and apparently coming out of shock.
Time for a slow transport to a wildlife specialist. 
Now, after arriving at a veterinarian’s, the bird is out of shock and pain.
Now it's time for a nap..
Now, with medication and a fresh bandage he is placed in a safe, quiet container. 
