Osprey On Severn River Rescued, Thanks To Technology

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Tangled up in technology. That's exactly what happened to an osprey on the Severn River.

Alex DeMetrick reports the bird is lucky to be alive.

A female osprey is recovering at the Davidsonville Wildlife Sanctuary after a very close call. She was spotted on a solar-powered navigation marker in the Severn River, danging from a wire.

"One wing was just totally wired up and it could hardly move at all," said Fred Kelly.

Kelly is the Severn River keeper. He, his grandson and a veterinarian managed to free the bird.

"Got some wire cutters and cut the wire and then it tried to fly away and it went directly into the water," Kelly said.

Her rescuers took her to the wildlife sanctuary.

"We had to give her some first aid and mainly just let her calm down. She was stressed out really badly. We think she's been hanging for two or three days," said Sandy Carr, Davidsonville Wildlife Sanctuary.

The sanctuary does not believe her injuries should keep her from recovering. Nicknamed Sarah, the osprey is eating fish. That's a positive sign.

"She seems to be doing good under the circumstances," Carr said.

The happy ending to this story will happen where it all began.

Ospreys mate for life. Sarah needs to get back to the nest she and her mate were building on the navigation marker.

"You have to get them out soon, sooner the better. She has to get back to the wild. That's definitely the plan," Carr said.

Just as soon as she's able to once more fend for herself.

Because the rescued osprey and her mate were still building their nest, no eggs had yet been laid.