hiya bucks in Bourne End, Flackwell Heath, Marlow, Wycombe, Wooburn January 2018 | Page 10

DUCKS
PART 3
At the end of last month’s article I talked about a duck
that had been caught up in discarded fisherman’s tackle.
Fortunately, I happened to be there at exactly
the right time to help the entangled duck. But
I immediately realised that this crisis needed
two people. I rushed around to my reliable
neighbour, Frank, who had chest high waders
suitable enough for this wildlife emergency.
He interrupted his own schedule, and within
a few short minutes he was in the high and
fast flowing water cutting both the bird and
fishing tackle from the holly branch. As soon
as Frank completed this task, he passed the
bird to me with the dangerous fishing tackle
still attached. Within seconds I managed to get
the triple hooked spinner free from the bird’s
beak without further damage. However, this was
not straightforward, as the hook had pierced right
through both upper and lower beaks effectively
clamping them together.
After successfully setting the bird free, she
quacked and swam away with only small holes in
her beak. The duck was full of life and none the
worse for its otherwise horrific experience. Frank’s
daughter, who was also by our side, enjoyed the