A Bruthen-based aborist came to the rescue of distressed magpie, which found itself trapped in a gum tree with fishing line wrapped around its claw and a tree branch last week.
The rescue has prompted the Victorian Fisheries Authority to issue a timely warning to people about correct disposal of their fishing line.
John Whadcoat and his wife, Grace, had noticed the magpie was in trouble when they heard a commotion in the garden of their Fisherman’s Landing property.
Mr Whadcoat had noticed bright green fishing line entangled around one of the magpies feet and the branch, 15 metres from the ground.
“Each time she tried to fly off she would be left dangling in the air with the fishing line attached to her foot.”
89-year-old Mr Whadcoat had no way of being able to reach the distressed bird.
The Advertiser placed a call to Bruthen based tree climbing aborist – Allan Podsiadly from Great Alpine Tree Services.
Climbing the tree, Mr Podsiadly attached a long rope to the branch on which the magpie was sitting and tossed the other end down to the Advertiser to hold while he chainsawed through it.
The branch holding the magpie could be slowly lowered to the ground where the Whadcoat’s were waiting to cut the fishing line and free the relieved magpie.
IMAGE: John Whadcoat and his daughter, Ruth, give the dehydrated magpie some water after its ordeal. K405-8635