Trevor's Week - 11 March 2009
Last week we had some great releases. A heron which tried catching some fish from a back garden fish pond became entangled in cotton/nylon strands across the pond.
The heron deterrent turned into a heron trap unfortunately. These home made deterrent are normally the ones which entangle herons and can cause serious injury.
Luckily this heron was not badly injured and after a night's rest in our Casualty Care Centre the bird was taken back to Hampden Park for release.
Most instances of trapped birds occur in locations where deterrents have been used and not erected or not maintained properly.
If you have a pond and you do not want herons taking your fish, try the old plastic heron trick. There are other products on the market like Netfloat which is a series of circular plastic which are joined together and placed under the water stopping the heron taking and fish.
A 3.5x0.5 metre section of pond can be covered for about 23.00. You can also buy scarers which have movement sensors and sent a three-second jet of water in that direction but these cost about 50.
Another product on the market is Velda Brilliant Pyramid which is left floating on the water surface. It shines, sparkles, and reflects the daylight so intensively, that herons are frightened by it. These costs about 8 each.
So there are plenty of alternatives to netting and line being erected. If anyone has any experience of these please e-mail me as I would be interested to know how well they have worked.
We also had two swans last week which crashed in the area. One crashed on a road near Rickney, Hailsham. A local lady picked up the swan and took it back to her stables where it was bedded down for the night.
The following morning I visited the juvenile swan which was standing well and it good condition. We decided to take the swan back out onto the Pevensey Levels where it swam off quite happily.
The other swan crashed into a garden at Sovereign Harbour North, Eastbourne. The swan certainly didn't want to be caught and wasn't very co-operative, but I eventually got it under control. On examination it had two leeches attached to the inside of the lower eye lid, which would be enough to cause the swan to crash land.
The local residents helped provide some warm water and salt which was mixed and used to flush the eye to help detach the leeches from the eye lid. This took some time and but eventually they started moving and I was able to suck them up into a syringe. The swan was then fit enough to be taken down to Princes Park for release.
We managed to get some video footage of the capture and release of the Sovereign Harbour swan as well as the release of the heron near Hampden Park too. These can be found on our website as well as on You Tube and links on twitter. You can keep up to date with what WRAS is doing by visiting our website www.wildlifeambulance.org and by following us on twitter at www.twitter.com/eastsussexwras too.
After last week's difficulties trying to get one landlord to release a pigeon caught in a chimney and having the RSPCA and Police stepping in, it was refreshing to be called by Eastbourne Fire Station for advice about a pigeon they had removed with the full cooperation of a property owner in Eastbourne without any fuss.
Congratulations to Eastbourne Fire Station for a successful release of the bird too. It is good to know that the RSPCA and the Police will take animal welfare seriously and if landlords or landowners are unwilling to free trapped wildlife they can be forced to take action.
Don't forget our new Casualty Care Centre is in need of volunteers now we have moved to our new location at Whitesmith on the A22, if you are interested please call or text Tim on 07969-464052 for more information.
We need volunteers to help with feeding and cleaning of our casualty cages. This normally takes a couple of hours in the morning or late afternoon/early evening.
We would also like to thank Eastbourne B&Q for donating some new equipment and storage for our Casualty Centre too.
WRAS is in the process of taking on a part time vet to visit a couple of times a week at our new centre. Veterinary surgeon Simon Harris will be helping over see the casualty care with our casualty care manager Tim McKenzie. We also hope to introduce more training with Simon and increase our knowledge of first aid and treatment of wildlife casualties with his help too. So many thanks to Simon for his help and support and welcome on board.
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 The Treasurer at PO Box 2148, Seaford, East Sussex, BN25 9DE. www.wildlifeambulance.org 24-hour rescue line: 07815 078 234.
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Weather for Eastbourne
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: -6 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Light sleet showers
Temperature: 2 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North west
