By Alwyn Graham THIS week's tip on wild bird casualties deals with the victims of fishing line accidents. Irena Zalasiewicz,founder of Greenmount Wild Bird Hospital, writes: Although the majority of anglers are responsible people and do not leave discarded fishing line around, there is a minority who disregard the principle and cause the unwary bird harm. Bait left on a hook can attract birds including moorhens, gulls, magpies, blackbirds and even starlings.

If the hook is still visible in the bird's beak, best ask an angler who has a disgorger to help. But if the hook is swallowed, the best procedure is to cut off the line immediately, only an operation by a vet may work. If the bird has not been tangled in the line too long and seems to be still strong and alert, best let it go as in many cases the hook will have already travelled to its stomach and the less the bird is handled, the better its chances and the better its stomach juices may do their work. Blackbirds and others of the thrush family are also difficult to handle - but magpies and starlings are very intelligent patients, and survivors.

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