Robert Crosby stands April 14 in front one of the devices he made to collect fishing line and gear at popular fishing areas. This one is in North Auburn near Lake Auburn at the corner of Lake Shore Drive and North Auburn Road, where the North Auburn Cash Market was once located. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

AUBURN — It’s been more than a decade since Robert Crosby came across a bird’s nest made mostly of monofilament fishing line with a few dead offspring entangled in it.

His discovery led him to spearhead a project that placed 14 plastic tubes in popular fishing spots around Lake Auburn, and it’s been a success: A dozen years on and the tubes are still regularly filled with line — as well as other trash — that would otherwise be discarded elsewhere.

“The gratifying thing for me is that from the onset we’ve consistently found quantities of fishing line in the tubes,” he said. “So they’re definitely being used as they’re supposed to be.”

Nearing 77, Crosby is still going strong, checking or emptying the tubes every couple weeks. But, he and watershed officials are also trying to spread the word and rally a few more volunteers to help.

Crosby said he doesn’t “foresee the end coming,” but doesn’t like to think that there would be nothing in place when he’s no longer able to do it.

Crosby, of Turner, is an avid kayaker, birdwatcher and photographer. He said when he retired from the Auburn school district, where he worked as a speech and language clinician, he wanted to do something meaningful and stay active. He described himself as “an amateur photographer who found out I could get a lot closer to wildlife from a kayak than I could walking through the woods.”

But his passion for wildlife and the health of Lake Auburn is obvious.

Crosby often tracks loons and other wildlife. A few years ago he came across a loon he said was “wrapped up like a Christmas present” in fishing line, and he was lucky enough to get the bird free uninjured. Last year, he found a fishing lure stuck in the web of a loon’s foot and, after several phone calls, was able to get a wildlife professional to the lake to help the animal.

“We’ve had good luck with the loons so far,” he said.

Robert Crosby of Turner holds fishing line and tackle April 14 that he removed from one of the devices he made to collect fishing line and gear at popular fishing areas around Lake Auburn. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Sometimes when he makes the rounds to the tubes, he’ll also find beer cans, cigarette butts or an occasional syringe in or around the area. He frequents popular fishing spots such as around The Basin in the area of the former North Auburn Cash Market. Now that spring ice-out has been declared, Crosby expects to see more activity.

Phoebe Hopkins, watershed outreach coordinator for the Auburn Water District, said Crosby’s initiative that he took many years ago has been “very successful,” adding that they’d love to add to their volunteer ranks.

“Many anglers use (the tubes) and there’s a good amount of line collected each week during fishing season,” she said. “Rob has been monitoring the tubes on his own for years, but we are looking to expand on his efforts by recruiting additional volunteers to help. Having additional help will ensure that the tubes get cleaned out more frequently, and will give Rob some more free time to enjoy his retirement.”

Crosby was born in Massachusetts and spent his early years in New England. He lived in Alaska during high school and after college. He eventually moved to Maine with his wife in 1977 because it felt the most like Alaska on the East Coast, he said.

Robert Crosby opens one of the devices he made to collect fishing line and gear at popular fishing areas. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

His first foray into volunteering came when he signed up to help monitor the milfoil situation in The Basin. He said that, and especially the fishing line project, has “given me a tremendous amount of satisfaction.”

“Basically I’m just an amateur photographer and part-time volunteer who has been much encouraged by the support that I’ve received not only from the water district but people I talk to,” he said. “Most folks respond well to the idea of the tubes and I’m hoping that response can translate into more people helping.”

He said he and watershed staff have also been looking into ways the monofilament line can be recycled, and he’d love to help volunteers at other fishing sites not on Lake Auburn who may be interested in putting up tubes of their own.

If readers are interested in getting involved with Crosby at Lake Auburn, contact lakeauburnwater.org.

Know someone with a deep well of unlimited public spirit? Someone who gives of their time to make their community a better place? Then nominate them for Kudos. Send their name and the place where they do their good deeds to reporter Andrew Rice at arice@sunjournal.com and we’ll do the rest.