Kestrel - follow up photo showing improvement in the bird

The Kestrel with the small wing fracture and dislocation continues to be with us and is slowly improving.

On the wild bird scene, we have seen several new birds this month. The birds arrived with a variety of injuries with a prevalence of fractures and wing damage. Late winter is a difficult time of year for birds, but for different reasons to early winter, when many young raptors are experiencing the difficulties of life in the wild. In late winter, many of our admissions are older birds that have had accidents.

We treated two Buzzards; one had flown into a side of a moving van, receiving very serious fractures to its right wing and the other bird also had a wing injury. Three Tawny Owls came our way; one following another road accident, while the second was found in the middle of the road, again having probably been in collision with a vehicle. Both birds were euthanased by our vet. The third Tawny Owl was found on the ground and did not appear to have any significant injuries. After a short stay with us it was re-released where it had been found, near Warminster.

Black Jack the Burrowing Owl at 9 weeks

Two Barn Owls arrived, both with wing fractures that unfortunately were too severe to be repaired.

We have also seen two of our less common Owls. One was a Short Eared Owl and the other was a Long Eared Owl found in Dorset and bought in via an RSPCA officer. Both owls had severe wing fractures and they could not be rehabilitated.

I mentioned last month that our first baby bird on the park had hatched. It is a Burrowing Owl. The baby now has the name of Black Jack and is 9 weeks old and progressing very well.