Lower Moss Rescue Highlights

Ian_Daniells · #1 (**permalink**) 02-09-2009, 12:55 AM

Having only been a trained rescue and rehabilitator for a year I have been lucky enough to work with Ray Jackson at the Lower Moss Wood Animal Hospital as a volunteer. During this year we have already had over 1400 patients with a high success rate. Almost every member of Cheshire mammal and bird species have passed through the doors from Badgers and foxes to feral ferrets, real polecats, hedgehogs and bats. All species of garden birds as well as Corvids, Owls, Buzzards, Kestrels, Sparrowhawks, Swifts, Swallows and Martins.

The diversity is immense and all volunteers have been working hard to maintain the highest standards of care with Ray providing the experience of years.

My role although limited has been in handrearing 2 swiftlets that were close to death (one found floundering in a cats water bowl) when we received them and were successfully released into a local Swift colony in the first week of August. I have also hand reared 5 Pipistrelle bats that started at the size of bumble bees and are now in our training roost to allow the adults there to teach them how to catch insects in flight, which is not an instintive thing apparently. I am now rearing a late clutch Song Thrush that was abandoned and is now just learning to fly although the tail feathers arent there yet.

The release of the Swifts was probably one of the most gratifying moments of my life to know that at least they had a second chance of survival and had returned to their true environment of flight. Hopefully they shouldn't touch down again for 2 years until they return to raise their own clutches

valleyforge · #2 (**permalink**) 02-09-2009, 08:46 AM

Hi Ian and a big welcome to the WaB community.

There are a few rehabilitators on here fairly regularly, and I'm very sure your experience will be invaluable to those members seeking advice on some of the species in which you've already had direct experience.