Rehabbed Wildlife

Jerry came into Celandine Wood Animal Rescue, when he was found motionless at the side of the road earlier in the summer, most likely following a collision with a vehicle.

Following X-ray, it was identified that he had a broken wing but luckily for him, following examination, no other injuries were evident. Jerry’s wing was splinted using a feather splint technique (where the light splint is sewed between his feathers) and he went to one of our volunteers for rehabilitation. Jerry required cage rest to help his wing to heal, but also required regular physiotherapy to prevent his wing from becoming stiff. Only time would tell if Jerry would be able to fly again.

The time came when Jerry was able to come off cage rest and be released into a larger free flying Avery with the thanks of Raptor Aid. He was able to fly short distances, this filled us with a lot of hope, but still, we didnt know if he could fly for long enough distances to be free.

Having wild birds of pray in captivity is always a balancing act, juggling their stress levels and physical needs and so we knew that time was of the essence! We would never know Jerrys capabilities to fly, until we tried and so the day came where a plan was made to release him.

Luckily on the day of release, the weather conditions were perfect. We took him to a spot which had been rigorously checked over the previous weeks to ensure it would be suitable and he was ringed to ensure we would be made aware of his progress, should he ever be captured again.

We were filled with nervous anticipation to let this beautiful bird go, but as we did, Jerry exceeded our expectations, he flew strong and fast and didnt falter, he flew high above the tree line and out of view. We couldn’t have been happier!!!

We have had the pleasure to rehabilitate many different birds with a whole range of issues. From ducklings, cygnets, waterfowl, chicks, pigeons and pheasants, we will always do our best to help an animal in need.

This beautiful barn owl came into our care after surviving a road traffic collision. Her chances of survival were very slim, as such accidents often leave lasting and debilitating injuries. In most cases, a return to the wild is extremely unlikely. But against all odds, this resilient girl pulled through!

With a nasty open fracture to her wing, her chances of being able to fly again seemed bleak. We were able to splint her wing and put together a recovery plan for her. With the help of our Vet and experts, one of our amazing fosterers and rehabbers took on the task of looking after the owl and providing daily care.

Day by day, she started to gain strength and mobility in her broken wing. The time came when she was strong enough to try flying, and to our delight it wasn’t long before she was soaring around in a soft release aviary! Finally, the moment arrived when she was deemed ready to be released into the wild. We transported her back to where she was found and, when the conditions were right, we watched her glide off beautifully into the distance!

We are so proud and pleased that this beautiful girl was able to defy the odds and reclaim her rightful place in the wild. We hope that she is living her best life soaring through the skies!