Since my last month’s report Figaro, our Brahminy Kite, has returned to his aviary as has Cinnamon, our new Siberian Eagle Owl. They are both doing well. The baby Kestrel is about to be released back into the wild and the Buzzards continue to improve their fitness.

This month we have received thirteen wild birds needing urgent treatment and care, as well as two park birds.

We received four Tawny Owls, one from near Andover Railway Station which may have been hit by a train, and one with a throat infection. Another Tawny Owl was brought to us from Upavon, also with a throat infection.  All three birds were euthanased by our vet.  We also received a Tawny Owl, via the vet in Hungerford, which was probably involved in a traffic accident. It is blind in its left eye but otherwise has recovered well. The bird has been put into the aviary with the other Tawny Owls in the park and has settled down well with its new friends.

Sparrowhawk

Sparrow Hawk being tube fed

Sparrowhawks are beautifully marked birds that a lot of people do not like because of their hunting habits in the garden, where they chase and catch small birds. We have treated four this month, two of them with wing fractures from Amesbury and Grateley. Both had to be euthanased. We received one from Andover with concussion - this bird has been released; and one from Feltham in Middlesex, which was seen to hit an RSJ on a building site near to the police station. A Police Officer, who lives in Hampshire, was coming off duty and brought it down to the hospital. It has recovered well and has been released in a park near to the police station.

Sometimes when wild birds are brought in suffering from an injury, shock, and stress from being handled, they do not eat. When this happens they have to be crop fed with a liquid feed via a tube. This was the case with one of the Sparrowhawks. 

Kestrel

Three Kestrels have received treatment, one from Lasham airfield with a wing injury and one from Penton Mewsey with a tick which caused severe swelling. The tick was removed and the bird was treated with antibiotics. Both birds died. The other Kestrel was brought in by a member of the Conservancy from Alton in Hampshire. This bird was underweight but had no obvious injuries. It received lots of good food and tender loving care and has been released back into the wild, with the member present to see it fly back into the trees near where it had been found.

Two other birds that had to be euthanased by the vet were a Little Owl with breathing difficulties and a Buzzard with a severely swollen foot, brought in by an RSPCA officer.

Also two of our park birds have been a bit under the weather, nothing seriously wrong but both had slight infections that were treated with antibiotics.  One was Othello the African Fish Eagle who is often seen flying in the displays, and the other was Hades, the Gyr Falcon.

Mike Wallis.