Trevor's Week - 30 January
Last week the RSPB reported that oiled birds were coming ashore. On speaking to the coastguard we were told that it was not the same oil as that which had leaked from the Ice Prince in Dorset.
Maz and I attended the beaches at Brighton. The first few birds were reported at Hove and Saltdean.
Some sections of the beach were difficult to search due to the piles of wood from the Ice Prince.
WRAS rescuers have been patrolling beaches and medicating the birds on site before transporting them to the RSPCA site at Mallydams.
As always, please remember that if you find an oiled bird on the beach do not take it home and start washing it – these casualties need medicating internally as soon as possible.
Overall the number of reports were not that high in the end luckily.
I caused some upset with one shipping journal which didn't like me saying the oil could have come from a vessel discharging oil taking advantage of the Ice Princess leak.
The shipping industry is hardly whiter than white when it comes to environment issues.
Although they take some responsibility when a major spillage occurs, once the oil has 'dispersed' it still floats round our seas year after year after year killing thousands of sea birds like guillemots and razorbills. It only takes a teaspoon of oil to kill a guillemot.
This week has seen Wras deal with many more foxes.We averaged five fox call outs a day last week.
Most people who contact Wras are very sympathetic but it is amazing how some people want us to do everything for them. We had one guy phone to report an injured fox in his garden.
We were about to arrange a rescuer to attend but were asked could we wait until he had finished his Indian takeaway as he didn't want his dinner to get cold. Strangely Wras decided to attend straightaway and get the fox regardless.
Wras was not going to let the fox suffer any longer than it had to.
East Sussex WRAS is a voluntary organisation which relies on donations. We do not receive funding from government nor the RSPCA. Anyone wishing to make a donation should contact WRAS's treasurer Peter Mortimer at Ash Cottage, 73 Friday Street, Eastbourne, BN23 8AY. www.wildlifeambulance.org 24-hour rescue line: 07815 078 234.
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Weather for Eastbourne
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 13 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: West
