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Case Studies, 2008 - 2009 Case Studies 2007  -  Case Studies 2008 We say that our catchment area is Shropshire, down into Herefordshire and occasionally into Wales (particularly for Red Kites), but we are willing to take in casualties from anywhere in an emergency. Last year, we had six brought in from quite far away: Mallard A Mallard Drake was found in the middle of a busy road coming out of London back at the beginning of March. It was picked up by a lady driving home to Leominster and brought to us the next day. He had small puncture wounds on his head that were consistent with having been shot and blood in his nares (nostrils). Painkillers and antibiotics helped him make a full recovery and he was released three weeks later on a pool belonging to one of my helpers. Blackbirds Four Nestling Blackbirds arrived in the West Midlands in May on a pallet in a lorry bound also from London. All four were successfully reared and went to the aviary of one of my helpers from where they were released into her garden, Little Owl A Little Owl was accidentally hit one night on a busy A-road in Cumbria by a gentleman driving down from Scotland to Shropshire. He stopped and picked it up, and not knowing what else to do with it, kept it warm in a box on his arrival back home and the next day found us on the Internet. Fortunately, it suffered nothing worse than, I suspect, a bit of a headache. By sheer co-incidence, the spot where he had hit it was a mere 2 ½ miles from my brother’s house, and as I was due to go up there in three weeks’ time for a family occasion, I was able to take it back and release it back in its home area. Mallard II Another Mallard Drake brought in from Albrighton in January suffering from a major loss of feathers, both from his wings and his body. Skin tests revealed nothing obvious, and we concluded in the end that it was a type of alopecia to which ducks can be prone, particularly following some stress or trauma. This was certainly a possibility as he had an old healed break in one wing, leaving him flightless. In view of his state, euthanasia was considered, but it was decided to give him a go and see if he improved during the spring. Because he needed to be kept warm particularly at night, he was on his own for some time, but eventually, we put him in with two swans with whom he settled fairly amicably. The breakthrough came when we had brought in a young Indian Runner duckling, one of two that had been found by the side of a lake by a lady who had subsequently reared them in her chicken pen until a rat got in and killed one of them. Upset at seeing the remaining one missing its little sibling, she brought it to us. I put it in the outside enclosure with the mallard drake and the swans and kept a close watch on it throughout the day. Not wanting to chance it that night, I brought it inside on its own. The next morning, I put it outside again and the mallard promptly came running up to it. That night, I separated an area off in the shed from the two swans and put the two ducks in together. Well, that was it! From then, on they were inseparable, with the mallard becoming so totally protective of his young protégée that he would run up to us and bite our trouser legs whenever we entered their pen. He even started to do it with the two swans to the extent that one of them became so frightened of him that we had to remove them to another enclosure! It was touching and comical at the same time, and I have never seen such totally possessive behaviour in a male duck before. Once the little Indian Runner was big enough, the two of them went to Ria’s lake (who spoils her ducks rotten!) where they continued to remain inseparable. Hedgehogs Four Sibling Baby Hedgehogs came in on 1st July, just about three weeks old, having been accidentally dug up by a gardener. Not only had all four been pronged by the garden fork, but their mother had also disappeared amongst the disturbance. It was thought that she had been injured, too, and it was distressing to think of her suffering, and possibly dying, from her wounds. The four little ones, however, were treated with a mixture of painkillers, antibiotics, homoeopathy and Aloe Vera. One of the four was touch and go for a few weeks, with a deep wound to his back hindering his walking and a hole right through his front foot that required stitching by Chris. I’m glad to say that all four fully recovered and were released two months later into a lovely wildlife garden in Much Wenlock. I should like, though, to draw the attention of readers to this unfortunately common garden hazard. When a nest of hedgehogs is dug up or disturbed, whether injured or not, it is imperative, before anything else, to contain the mother. She is the one who will run off, not the babies, and obviously it is far preferable for all concerned if she can be kept with her youngsters. Once all are contained, (initially, just put a recycling box or something similar over the whole family with a heavy brick on top), phone us straight away for advice. Even Littler Owls Two Little Owl Fledglings were found one evening huddled together on the ground. We debated at the time with the finder whether she should try and put them back in the nearby apple tree, but the circumstances were too uncertain to justify the risk. We reared them initially here but very soon transferred them to the aviary of one of my trustees who lives in a Site of Special Scientific Interest. From there, they were duly released a month later. Over the next couple of months they were spotted two or three times, always perched on fence posts or branches within yards of each other. It is always so rewarding for us when we have firm evidence that youngsters reared here survive to fend for themselves in the wild. Swan A Cob Swan paid us two visits within six months. He was one of a pair off a fishing lake in the Telford area and was bitten quite badly by a dog. The RSPCA brought him in, shocked and with a large haematoma under one wing. A blood test revealed no level of lead in his body and he was duly released back to his mate 10 days later. Carolyn and I were called out to him again early in the New Year – the caller reported him lame and almost unable to use one leg. We caught him up quite easily, although he did try to make a lunge for the water, and found that he had fishing-line tight round the leg below his ring. It had obviously been there some time as it had cut in deep, but fortunately no tendons were involved as within a few days he was able to limp around the garden. Unfortunately, we had to keep him back longer as his blood test this time showed a quite high lead level and his weight was down nearly 4 kgs. from the summer. However, at the time of writing, he is recovering well and will hopefully soon be reunited with his mate. Peregrine Falcon A Peregrine Falcon Chick found itself at the bottom of a cliff perilously close to a busy main road. Fortunately, a member of the public spotted it and brought it into us. We have a good liaison with the Shropshire Peregrine Group and were put in touch with the local active member who confirmed that there was indeed a nest with youngsters at the top of the cliff. It seemed that it had taken its maiden flight without realising the precipice below it! Within a few days, we were able, with his help, to reunite the chick back with his family. Subsequent watches over the next few days by the member confirmed that all three youngsters had fledged and were still in the area with their parents.

Wildlife the charity has treated this year includes: Ducks, Swans, Other Water Birds, Raptors, Owls, Game Birds, Corvids, Pigeons, Doves, Garden Birds, Hedgehogs, Badgers, Squirrels, Otters, Foxes, Deer, Bats, Rabbits and many other species.