Hooray for Tax Dollars Well Spent

















Stock photo' via Google Images.

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 On Monday evening (1st April 2019) as I walked out with Zion I saw what I took to be a juvenile Great Blue Heron as he (and it was a he) struggled to swallow a fish from our retention pond.

 I didn't get too concerned as the the Great Blues often toss fish into the air, and line them up in order to swallow them whole.

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 On Tuesday evening (2nd April 2019) [twenty four hours later] another neighbour spotted the same Great Blue, but by now the fish (half way out of the bird's beak), was surrounded by flies.

I happened be out and about and saw this sad sight.

 My neighbour 'phoned Animal Services of Sarasota County,(Sheriff's Dept).

 Their agent (*Amber) was on the scene within four minutes  (she happened to be in the area). The agent ascertained that the Heron was still alive, but very passive.  

 The agent, with great tenderness, wrapped the the bird in a big blanket, and took him to her van for transportation to an avian rehab. centre in Venice, FL.

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 Another neighbour called that centre this morning for information.  It transpires that one of the fish's fins had lodged in the bird's gullet. The rehab extracted the fish with great difficulty.

The Heron is still alive, and is being hand fed for the while. The rehab centre has every hope that he will eventually be released to the wild.

 Laus Deo for our Sarasota County Animal Services Dept. (taxes well spent!) for their prompt and tender response to a bird in need.

 This afternoon I left a message with one of the supervisors at Animal Services asking her/him to commend * Amber for her good and caring work.

 Be Grateful for those all-volunteer organisations which nurse sick wild animals back to health, and freedom.
https://wildlifecenterofvenice.org

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