Captain Hook...

Apologies for the lack of blogs lately - we are experiencing problems uploading.

What is wrong with this picture? Spot the foreign object. Yes, you’ve probably been able to identify the anomaly...

This picture drew quite a few of us wildlife staff into the x-ray room I can tell you! This is an image of a herring gull who has managed to swallow a coat hanger hook!

How, when and where? Nobody knows. But what I am aware of is the irony of the situation, whereby the bird was put to sleep, not because of the enormous hook that we accidently came across, but because of a tiny shot pellet found in its shoulder area, debilitating its ability to fly.

When I consider all the oddities in behaviour observed, the injuries and health issues endured, the unfortunate incidents which these animals we see have been exposed to, THIS, has to be the most bizarre occurrence I have witnessed so far. Never a dull moment that’s for sure!

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Bubble, Bubble, OIL and Trouble...

It was all hands on deck late last week at Stapeley after receiving a phone call from one of our RSPCA
Inspectors, advising us of the imminent arrival of several oiled Canada geese from Manchester.

                                

Wellies, waterproofs and aprons on, check, sinks, shower head and hot water at the ready, check,

isolation unit bedded with warm air blowing, check, several Canada geese smelling like an oil
refinery and looking like they have been down a coal mine...yes, unfortunately. A pitiful sight indeed.

Two pairs of hands per goose with relentless soaping and rinsing, ensured these unlucky birds were safe from ingesting oily chemicals (which they unwittingly do whilst preening their feathers), and began the lengthy process of attempting to restore their natural waterproofing.

                              

     



Several hours later, the geese were cleaner, brighter and consequently, safer. They will be observed closely over the coming days to monitor their general health and feather condition.  A tiring and stressful afternoon for both the geese and wildlife staff I think (!)

A few days on and some have already been transferred outside and are now preparing for their eventual release back to the wild.  Since we received the first call we have had 9 in and we have more arriving today.

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Small is beautiful!

Residing in our orphan room at present is a selection of miniature rodents. Rodents are not every ones cup of tea, as people tend to focus on big rats when you mention the word! But I can assure you, the little furries we have are just delightful (and being small and furry often equates with being really cute!).

We have a few mice and an infant vole, individually housed and feeding off bird seed and a little smattering of Farley’s porridge! On arrival, the tiny vole still had its eyes shut and had to be syringe fed...a tricky task even for those with the most nimble of fingers! Placing tiny milk droplets on the mouth of the vole encourages it to lap, and observing it eventually feeding by itself is always a relief.

                                         

As the mice and vole have grown, so too has the speed in which they can move! Cleaning out the tiny beasts is now a swift and lively affair!

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Duck Day

Today was the day that a large group of our duck-patients got what they wanted...freedom! Many of the ducks arrive at Stapeley as young orphans, however some may have impaired health or may have been injury in some way.  How fantastic that today I got to help with their release, now they are fit, healthy and suitably matured...

Firstly we had to catch them, a feat in itself! Entering pool three armed with our catching nets, the chase was on! Of course we try to seize the ducks with as little fuss and stress to them as possible, but in the pouring rain when you are trying to herd, manoeuvre and separate the individuals needed, an element of chaos does arise! 

Once contained, we drove to the designated release site. Pulling the container of passengers along on our wheeled trolley, we get as close to the waters’ edge as possible. Opening the door, out dart the ducks, some more eager than others! Seeing them fly off, or paddle out along the vast pond is so satisfying…..yet more animals on our care successfully rehabilitated!

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All things......

As a child I sang the hymn ‘All Things Bright and Beautiful’, I watched the programme ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ and I read the books (thank-you James Herriot), so now at last I have the t-shirt...a dark green RSPCA one to be precise...

Every day I am surrounded by all things bright and beautiful (and I don’t mean the staff!) and all creatures great and small. And the creatures I see are great, not necessarily in size, but in their ability to adapt and survive. Their existence is one of endurance against threat which man and other animals continually pose. A respect for our British wildlife is often overlooked. It should not be.

From the teeny tiny vole to the crafty old fox and all those in between, they are not just part of our landscape, but an integral part of a delicately balanced ecological chain...

So let’s hear it!! ‘All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, all things wise and wonderful...’ (You know the rest!)

Sponsors of Stapeley Grange's Summer Wildlife Position