One of the biggest challenges we’ve had this year has been the volume of calls we’ve had from people who can’t transport their wildlife casualties. We’ve worked really hard to build our volunteer transport team, who do an absolutely amazing job, to try and get to as many animals as possible.
Each pin drop on the map shows a wildlife casualty. We don’t have locations for every single animal that comes to us, but the maps shows the ones we do have the information for!
Did you know Lincolnshire is the UK’s second largest county? Each week, our dedicated transporters embark on incredible journeys, traveling hundreds of miles to ensure wildlife is safely transported from finders to veterinary care and then to our sanctuary in Langrick, just outside Boston.
Read about our hungry young buzzard
This gorgeous buzzard was brought to us after being found collapsed just outside Sleaford. After a thorough check over by the vets, he came over to us for some TLC. Luckily he had no injuries, but was very thin. He was just a youngster and we think he might have struggled after a period of very warm weather.
He went from strength to strength and a few weeks later we were able to release him back into the wild!
Hear the sad story of some young pigeons
These two young feral pigeons were among eight who were taken from underneath some solar panels. Unfortunately, their presence was causing a health and safety risk and they had to be removed from their nests.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t a straightforward process. Despite doing research, the home owner was unable to find much information on what to do in this situation, so used his initiative and took the babies to a nearby vets who contacted us for help. Due to GDPR they were unable to pass any information on to us about where the babies came from and we were unable to talk to the home owner.
It is illegal to remove birds from their nests under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, so, as this could have been a wildlife crime, we contact Lincolnshire Police for advice. With their help we were able to make contact with the home owner and clarify the situation. There are a couple of occasions where baby birds can be removed from the nest, under a General Licence, and this was one of them. We had a good conversation with the home owner and were shocked to learn there is very little online on what to actually do if you have pigeons under your solar panels and need to remove them.
If you ever find yourself in that situation, please contact your nearest wildlife rescue for advice. It may be that you are able to allow the babies to fledge before removing the panels, or if this isn’t possible, the rescue can prepare so that there is minimal disruption to the babies. Unfortunately, one of the eight babies was less than 24 hours old and, possibly due to the delay in getting to us, was too weak to survive.
Read about our brave little robin
This little robin is the only survivor from a nest of 4 babies that came into our care after one parent bird was killed in a rat trap and the other abandoned them. Upon collection they were all extremely dehydrated and struggling with heat stroke.
Unfortunately, two lost their fight within the first 24 hours, with a third passing away a day later. This little fighter is the only one to have survived and has made friends with a great tit and a dunnock who are also in our care.
We are amazed that any of the babies survived and hope this little one will be free before long.