Trapped in the Plastic Mesh
The small gray cygnet kicked its webbed feet against the wet mud, thrashing inside the tight grid of the white plastic netting. Each kick pushed its downy body deeper into the small square openings along the water’s edge.
A few yards away in the shallows, two large white adult swans stood tall, their long necks stretched upright. They called out in sharp, raspy cries, pacing back and forth along the boundary line of the fence.
The young bird chirped loudly, twisting its neck and trying to force its small wings through the flexible plastic strands. The fence held firm against the lakebed, pinning the chick close to the shallow water.
Careful Steps in the Shallows
Heavy leather boots stepped onto the wet shoreline gravel. A wildlife officer wearing tan uniform trousers and thick work gloves walked toward the water’s edge, bending low as he approached the netting.
“Easy, easy buddy,” the officer murmured, dropping down onto one knee right into the mud.
He placed one gloved hand on the top rail of the white mesh fence, pulling it upward to relieve the tension around the chick’s neck and wings. The cygnet gave several quick peeps, fluttering against the ground as the officer reached under the webbing.
Working slowly with his thick leather gloves, the officer worked his fingers around the tangled plastic loops. He pressed the netting back over the chick’s head first, guiding the soft gray feathers free from the tight plastic knots.
Untangling the Little Wings
The cygnet paused, resting flat against the muddy water while the officer gripped its lower body with one hand. With his other hand, he pulled the flexible plastic grid away from the bird’s tucked legs.
He checked the bird’s joints, gently loosening the bottom edge of the net where the foot had snagged. He shifted his grip, sliding both hands underneath the soft, fluffy chest of the cygnet.
The officer lifted the net higher with his left wrist while sliding the young swan completely backward out of the trap. He lowered the cygnet gently onto the wet ground right at the water’s surface.
The chick sat upright in the mud for a brief second, shaking its downy tail feathers and adjusting its wings. The officer remained kneeling quietly, keeping both hands hovering just above the ground.
A Fast Swim Back Home
The young bird stood up on its dark legs and pushed directly into the water. It surged through the shallow surface, kicking its feet rapidly and sending small ripples trailing behind its gray tail.
The two adult swans immediately lowered their necks and began paddling toward the open center of the lake. The cygnet paddled as fast as its small legs could kick, cutting straight through the calm water to fall in line right behind them.
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