This month has seen our first baby Tawny Owls of the year amongst the other 19 birds that came into us for treatment and care.  We saw five different species including a very rare patient to the hospital.

We treated :-

• Tawny Owl chick

  Two Buzzards. Both had received head injuries and one of the birds also had foot and leg damage. One recovered well and was released back in the Devizes area of Wiltshire where it was found. The other one is still on antibiotics and pain killers.
• Three adult Tawny Owls with a series of different injuries.  These injuries resulted from a motor vehicle accident. The first had a closed right eye and was breathing with difficulty when it was admitted. It is still receiving treatment. Another came in with a bent wing and probably had flown into an obstacle. It has since been released near Andover in Hampshire. The final one was very thin on arrival and died the following day.
• We now have seven young Tawny Owls, (there were 8 but one died soon after arrival) and most had probably been blown out of their nests due to the strong winds we had experienced this month. When they are fully grown they will be released, probably in July, as part of the ongoing project being run by the Trust.
• One Little Owl was admitted with severe head damage and in a very stunned state and had to be euthanased.

• Honey Buzzard

  Two Sparrowhawks died after admission. One had been attacked by a cat and had leg and hip injuries, whilst the other flew into a window, damaging its spine.
• A Hobby is receiving treatment for concussion.
• A Kestrel has just been released near Andover having spent 10 days with us recovering, having been brought to us in a very malnourished state. For some reason he had not fed properly before being found.
• And finally, only the third Honey Buzzard to be seen by The Hospital arrived, having been found in the sea between Fawley and the Isle of Wight. It was found, wet and completely exhausted, by a very observant person in a small boat. A very lucky bird to have been rescued, it is still receiving treatment and is recovering well.

Small numbers of Honey Buzzards are seen in the UK from April, leaving for the Mediterranean or Africa for the winter from October onwards.  A few have been known to nest here. They are unusual feeders as their preferences include wasps and bee grubs, wax and honey, large insects as well as small mammals and reptiles.