Trapped Against The Tide
Thick synthetic rope twisted around the osprey’s left talon, pinning its foot firmly against the splintered base of a wooden dock post. The bird beat its wings against the tall marsh grass, kicking up wet mud as it strained to break free.
High above the marsh, a second osprey circled in tight loops, calling out as its shadow passed over the shallows. The captive bird opened its hooked beak wide, panting while its talons gripped the wet earth.
Two green wildlife patrol trucks pulled onto the muddy path near the shoreline and shut off their engines. Two officers stepped out into the grass, pulling heavy work gloves over their hands as they scanned the waterline.
Careful Hands In The Shallows
The officers walked side by side down the narrow wooden boardwalk, their boots thudding against the planks. Overhead, the second raptor banked sharply, keeping its yellow eyes fixed on the men approaching the post.
Kneeling into the wet silt, the first officer reached down slowly toward the trapped raptor. His gloved fingers slid along the bird’s back, gently pressing its speckled brown and white wings against its sides to keep the feathers from breaking.
The osprey snapped its beak and hissed, but the officer kept his touch steady against its breast. The second officer pulled a pair of heavy red-handled cutting shears from his belt and leaned close to the tangled knot.
The braided nylon had coiled several times around the bird’s leg, cutting into the scaly skin above its talons. Working millimeter by millimeter, the officer slipped the blunt metal jaw of the shears beneath the tightest cord.
He squeezed the handles until the synthetic fibers snapped with a clean pop. He pulled away the frayed strands one by one, inspecting the bare leg to make sure no loose threads remained caught around the claws.
Reunion On The Water
The officer loosened his grip on the bird’s torso and took two steps back into the marsh grass. The osprey remained on the wooden post for several seconds, shaking its ruffled feathers and flexing its unbound foot.
With a single push against the wood, the raptor lifted into the air and glided toward the end of the boardwalk. It landed on the outer edge of the pier, extending both wings wide to test its balance in the breeze.
The circling mate dropped from the sky, landing directly beside it on the weather-worn timber. The second bird leaned forward, spreading its broad wings outward until the feather tips brushed against the marsh grass.
Both raptors stood shoulder to shoulder on the edge of the wooden dock as the sun dipped behind the tree line across the water.
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