OK so I have been doing a fair bit of work down at the Docklands, Melbourne's harbour precinct! HA. Open Channel has been my place of employment and a Cert III in Documentary has been the course. I'm like the editing consultant, teaching a bit of FCP and a bit of editorial advice. Nice Job. Good bunch of students and some very interesting projects....but not the point of this post.
In between times I've been taking a lot of snaps of the area and particularly a series of photos called 'The Wrong Side of the Tracks' (see a few in a previous post)
So yesterday I'm a bit early so I drive down to the end shed, right to the end of the docks, near the Bolte Bridge. This is the end point for the rails that run on the docks and behind the sheds and it being such beautiful early morning light I think there may be a photo opp?
Anyway I'm wondering around taking a snap here and there, mostly of the bridge, the river, the docks etc and then some mooring pylons.
Great Light Great Snaps.
However, something catches my eye when I photograph the pylons (see below)
Can you see it?
Have a close look in the middle between the pylons. It's a Mudlark, a small version of a Magpie. A bird for those not in the know. But this bird is strung up like an aerial crucifixion. On closer inspection I see that it has fishing line wrapped around its wing tip and the line is strung between two of the pylons. By some feak move it has entangled itself in this grizzly scenario and produced something akin to performance art. It was perfect, looked great, great symmetry, and the more it struggled, the tighter the bonds.
Shit, what to do??? No one around, running out of time (job to start in 5min) and can't reach the pylons. But I so know that I can't do nothing. My 'this is nature' out clause for so many scenarios is just not applicable in this case. If the nong fisherman (or woman) hadn't snagged their line on the pylon none of this would be happening.
SHIT!!!! I had to leave to go to work, sorry mate.
So when I get to Open Channel, I tell Dan (boss man)of what has gone down. It's good he is concerned. We call Docklands Security but they are a little out of there depth and suggest ringing the City Council.
I don't think so
We google animal rescue but the hits are too vague. Then Dan says 'injured wildlife recovery, Melbourne' and that takes us to the good people of
Wildlife Victoria
http://www.wildlifevictoria.org.au/
24hr wildlife emergency.
They take down the details and say they will organise a rescue, bless their hearts.
I mms the above photo so they know what's going on and I leave it at that.
Start of the working day.
I finish at 1pm and the first thing I do (yes before buying a Vietnamese Pork Roll for lunch)is go back to the pylons.
It's Gone! OMG has it escaped, has it been rescued, has it, has it???????
So I jump on the phone, back to Wildlife Victoria and here's what they say.
So using the photo (very helpful) thay contact Parks Victoria who have a boat in the Docklands. They go to the rescue, cut the bird down and untangle it. On inspection it's in perfect health, no broken bones etc and they release it.
The beautiful Mudlark tid fly away.
Oh I love a happy ending and guess what? I made a difference! I realy thought the situation was quite hopeless, but I didn't let that stop me. So minor but so major.
It was a good day at work, a good day at the Docklands.
love your work Matthew!
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