Pet Falcon Saved By Westborough Firefighter

WESTBOROUGH, MA — A Westborough firefighter helped track down a pet falcon after its owner lost the animal when he fell into a frigid swamp last week. The $20,000 falcon went missing Thursday after its owner fell through ice while the pair were out at Cedar Swamp.

Fire crews rescued the owner, Bill Johnston, who was hospitalized with possible hypothermia. The rescue took two hours and required a three-member team and rescue equipment.

One of the firefighters who rescued Johnston, Mark Boyner, volunteered to track down the falcon in his spare time. Luckily for Boyner, the bird had a GPS tracker, which made pinpointing its location a bit easier — though physically getting to the bird was another obstacle.

Boyner told WCVB he had to wade through "armpit-deep swamp water" to come face-to-face with the bird and bring it safely home.

The 15-year-old falcon, named Fiona, was taken to Cummings Veterinary Center at Tufts University in Grafton for treatment and was reunited with Johnston. The two are recovering together, and Boyner is receiving plenty of praise for his efforts.