Bird lover saves life of stricken osprey

Published on Thursday 5 June 2008 22:25

WHEN Keith Collins spotted an osprey tangled up in a fishing line he leaped into the loch where it was in danger of drowning to help out.

The bird lover, who works on the Rothiemurchus Estate in Aviemore, first thought the osprey was just struggling to cope with a big fish it had caught.

But then he realised it was tangled up and was in urgent need of help as it floundered in a loch at Rothiemurchus Fishery.

He thinks the line had already been tangled around the bird's foot. When the osprey dived into the loch the line, with its barbed hook, became caught below its eye as well.

As the osprey struggled in the loch, its lungs filled with water and it was at risk of drowning.

Mr Collins quickly waded out to help. He grabbed the osprey by the feet and carried it to safety.

After removing the fishing tackle he tipped the bird upside down so the water came out of its lungs. It dried out and flew off.

He said: "I got hold of its feet. They are razor sharp so they are the dangerous part. It soon came round. It was fine."

He said the bird was his favourite osprey and he saw it regularly fishing in the loch.

He knew the osprey was a male with four chicks to feed, so he was pleased to have helped out the family.

He thought it had got caught up in the tackle elsewhere because the hook was the type used for pike fishing and there are no pike in the loch.

Janet Shaw, the photographer who captured the dramatic scenes, said: "Keith was the star of the show. Without his expertise the bird might not have survived."

She was with a party of photographers waiting in a hide for an osprey to come fishing.

"Keith saw the osprey coming in and we were there with our cameras, clicking away.

"It hit the water and then didn't come out again as it should have done. At first we thought it had just caught a big fish and would sort itself out."

But then they noticed the osprey was really struggling.

"It would have drowned if he hadn't helped," she said.