A rescue for the birds: Team effort frees entangled osprey near Terrebonne

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) – A team effort by several public and private entities on Monday helped free a fledgling osprey that became severely entangled in its nesting materials north of Terrebonne after Sunday’s thunderstorms, officials said.

Redmond Fire & Rescue was called in by Oregon State Police and the state Department of Fish and Wildlife to assist in the rescue, fire Captain Ken Brown said.

OSP was notified of the osprey’s plight by a passerby who stopped at the Crooked River Gorge overlook at the Peter Skene Ogden State Scenic Viewpoint along Highway 97 north of Terrebonne, Brown said.

As soon as the trooper arrived, he called for help. ODFW was first to arrive, followed by Redmond firefighters and Central Electric Cooperative.

Using a double-bucket service truck, CEC workers were easily able to rescue the osprey, free it from the tangled mess of nesting materials and bring it to the ground – all while the bird’s parents circled close overhead to keep watch on their offspring, Brown said.

ODFW and Redmond Fire crews then cut away to the remaining twine to remove what had bound the bird.

The raptor was taken by ODFW to a waiting veterinarian at a Bend clinic, Brown said. They planned to check the bird for injuries, provide rehabilitation if needed and return it to its nest within 48 hours, “barring any significant injuries or ailments,” the fire captain said.