Heron gets caught in power line
Squirrel stops power to 2,000
BY J.D. GALLOP
FLORIDA TODAY
Florida Power & Light Co. workers rescued a heron late Monday, hours after its wing caught in a 60-foot-high electrical line.
But it was too late.
A break in the wing and the high winds all day meant Florida Wildlife Hospital & Sanctuary had to put the bird to sleep.
"Unfortunately, the damage to the wing was nonrepairable," said Sue Small, director of the private, nonprofit hospital just south on U.S. 1 from where the bird was injured. "It's not the ending that everybody wanted."
Pineda Bait Shop & Tackle worker David Molnar saw the entangled heron Monday morning from his store near the Pineda Causeaway.
"I saw something black up there but didn't know what it was until later," he said. "That's when I called to see if FPL could help get him down."
Power company workers first went to the scene about 10:40 a.m. but did not have the right equipment available. They returned about 3:30 p.m. and accomplished the rescue.
"Hang in there, Freddie," Molnar yelled to the bird and clapped and cheered as workers gently brought it down.
"I'm just pleased that FPL showed up," he said. "It's better to do something than nothing."
In another wildlife-related incident Monday, a squirrel shorted out a circuit breaker near a substation about 9:30 a.m. Almost 2,000 homes and businesses were left without power near Wickham Road between Post and Croton roads.
Melbourne police were called to direct traffic when the signals went out.
Power was restored about 10 a.m.
FPL worker Jim Knapp said mishaps with wildlife -- some that affect service -- are common during winter and in high winds.
"But this," he said, pointing to the injured heron, "is something we're just doing out of the goodness of our hearts."
Contact Gallop at 242-3668 or jdgallop@flatoday.net
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