Neotropic Cormorant and fishing line

Gallery: Man & FaunaPosted January 27, 2009834 views8 comments

As I was about to depart the Water Ranch in Gilbert, AZ, Monday morning a couple insisted that I come see the cormorant "stuck in the tree." It wasn't pleasant viewing as the bird made a few movements and then expired as I watched. I assumed it had miscalculated and caught a wing in the branches - this is a very popular roosting tree for the cormorants here. It was only when I forced myself to look at the photos today that I saw the fishing line.

I wish there had been something to do and that I could have had a better outcome as Avi and Lia did with their cormorants. There are no on-duty personnel at the Water Ranch other than the occasional landscaping crew and I don't have a cell phone to call anybody.

Comments

8 comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on January 27, 2009 at 8:43 PM

That is heartbreaking!

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments

Comment posted by Hank Pennington on January 27, 2009 at 9:14 PM

This is a powerful and evocative photo, Richard!

Probably due to the small size, I first had trouble making out the fishing line. If there's any way to make that more prominent, you've got great fodder for the ongoing efforts to clean up fishing line, maybe even a poster shot. The increase in line visibility doesn't have to be overt, because there's value for viewers in "discovering" it, but just a bit more would help. I'm wondering if a little nudge on the black slider in the blue (or cyan) channel on Selective Color would subtley darken the sky just enough to make the white line stand out in sharper contrast?

Registered on November 1, 2003, 226 Posts, 1532 Comments

Comment posted by Avi Hirschfield on January 28, 2009 at 7:15 AM

Richard cormorants dive deep in sea @ lakes and also move fast ,this causes them not to see sometimes these things THAT SHOULD NOT BE THERE.
It is very sad that we have to come upon these sad views ,I last year was also unable to save one that was caught in nets

We cant always do something unfortunately

Registered on November 1, 2003, 518 Posts, 2114 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on January 28, 2009 at 12:56 PM

I sent the image with details on time and location to the ranger for the Water Ranch and received this reply:

Thank you. We did know about the cormorant and we actually took a fisherman back to show what happens when birds and fishing line tangle. He is a regular and will communicate how to deal with birds that may get hooked or tangled so they don't end up like the bird you saw. Scott

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Hank Pennington on January 28, 2009 at 1:03 PM

That's real positive. Is there some kind of bulletin board or other public display at the ranger station? I bet if you gave them a nice print, it would end up there and have quite an impact. Bonus points would be if visiting rangers from other stations saw it and wanted versions of their own.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 226 Posts, 1532 Comments

Comment posted by Bruce Palla on January 29, 2009 at 2:49 PM

This is a sad and provocative photo. I always worry that I may be responsible for something like this either in the past or future. While I don't litter intentionally, I have snagged many a lure on underwater stumps and trees, leaving little recourse but to cut the line as far down as possible. High Visability Line isn't, especially in turbid or murky water. I do appreciate the somewhat positive end result. Education is vital so all can enjoy God's creations for all time to come.

Registered on December 19, 2007, 25 Posts, 328 Comments

Comment posted by Hans Spiecker on February 3, 2009 at 11:36 AM

I don't normally see photos in this forum but saw it in the EP selections. This is a very sad scene being repeated all over the world which isn't easy to fix. One of my favorite birding locations has large bins available for fishermen to deposit unused line. I guess we can't outlaw fishing so what is the solution? This must have been hard to watch Rich. Thanks for posting it.

Registered on March 23, 2006, 366 Posts, 4649 Comments

Comment posted by Shane McDermott on March 4, 2009 at 11:05 PM

A Sad and un-necessary tragedy! A telling capture indeed.

Shane

Registered on November 12, 2007, 49 Posts, 1074 Comments