Bill Williams is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media a rare Great Egret is recovering at a wildlife rehabilitation center in Hunter after being rescued last month in Chatham with a severely broken leg, Department of Environmental Conservation spokesman Jomo Miller said September 19. The injured bird was taken to Friends of the Feathered and Furry Wildlife Center after it became tangled in a discarded fishing line in Sutherland Pond at Ooms Conservation Area. Environmental Conservation Officer James Davey used a canoe to reach the injured bird, which was located well offshore. After several attempts, Davey managed to grab the wading bird, while avoiding its sharp yellow bill, and returned to shore, Miller said. Once in the care of the wildlife center staff, the bird was fitted with a brace to stabilize the fracture. The Great Egret will undergo rehabilitation and be released back into the wild at a future date. Great Egrets are not commonly found in upstate New York. They are normally found along the Gulf Coast, and along the East Coast, as far north as North Carolina, but after the late summer breeding season, the birds often wander farther north. The Great Egret nearly went extinct in the late 1800s, when its feathers were sought for use in fashion. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.