Free as a bird

Department of Conservation community relations ranger Liz Sherwood releases a mollymawk from the wharf at the Portobello aquarium this week, watched by communications ranger Claudia Barbirat and visitors to the aquarium.

The bird had been handed in to Dunedin's SPCA after staff at the central city Westpac bank discovered it sitting near its doorway.

SPCA animal attendant Maartje Hyink said they thought it had a sore foot and when it arrived they contacted Doc.

Doc judged the bird to be fit to be released and chose the aquarium site as it was closer to the bird's natural habitat.