Letter to the Editor: Happy Ending for Anhinga

Yesterday, the Anhinga returned.

He was cold and shivering.

A friend here at the complex and my husband and I waited patiently. I was on one side and my friend on the other. We spoke to him calmly for about a half an hour. 

My friend was able to catch him. She very carefully grabbed his neck just under his head and placed a towel gently over him.

I stepped into the pond and got in front of him. I am a nurse and I had surgical scissors and was able to cut off the carpet fiber that was tightly wrapped around its beak.

I made several snips. As soon as we were done, he dove in the water and caught a fish. 

He was so proud of himself. A little while later after catching more fish, he came out of the water and sat next to me for about a half and hour on the bank. 

He returned this morning and seems to be just fine. He can fish and fly and I saw him in another retention pond with a few other anhingas yesterday. He is sunning himself now on the bank. 

I am not going to touch him even if he is close because I do not want him to get used to human touch as he is wild. 

Am glad for this happy ending. The bird is very beautiful and would have surely died without intervention. 

Have a nice day and thanks for all you do, 

Sincerely, Dorothy Bryan