Something that doesn't usually catch the eye of a passerby is a bird in a tree, but over the weekend the fire department was called to save a feathered friend trapped by a kite string.
On Sunday, March 31, Cambridge Fire Department responded to a call of an animal stuck in a tree.
Upon arrival, they noticed a bird had been caught in what seemed to be a kite string.
The Cambridge Humane Society called the fire department because their crews cannot climb trees for safety reasons.
The Preston fire crew deployed its aerial ladder more than 30 feet to disentangle the bird, believed by many to be a common grackle, and set it free.
The fire department drew praise from the community while some thought this was an early April Fools joke.
"We are lucky to have such a caring fire department for humans and animals alike," said Ess Kay on Facebook.
"This story really does my heart good," wrote Adriana Pisano Beaumont.
The Cambridge Humane Society said that Cambridge Fire Station 3 in Preston was contacted and responded within minutes.
Some residents speculated that since this bird was in Preston some of the kite string was leftover from last summer's kite festival when hundreds of paper kites blew into Preston neighbourhoods during a windy day.
"If this is in Preston near river there are so many kite strings lingering still from that "kite festival" last summer. I hope that is never allowed to happen at Riverside again," wrote Samantha Erin on social media.
"Lantern lighting ceremonies and fireworks should also be banned due to displacement and harm to animals," wrote another.
The grackle was freed and flew off unharmed.
