Kestrel

Last month another injured kestrel was rescued in Guernsey after a very busy few months with birds of prey.

'Pip' as the female bird has been named was rescued after being found with an injured wing in the Amherst area.

Thanks to the care of the team at the GSPCA and help from local vets the bird made a quick recovery and was recently rung and after a spell in a soft release pen the door was opened and Pip is now back in the wild.

The last few weeks have been very busy at the GSPCA with dozens of injured hedgehogs, baby birds, rabbits, but also an unusual high number of Birds of Prey.

On the 21st July Volunteer Warden Andrew Green was called out to an injured young kestrel in Kingsmill which is doing well, named 'Allardyce' and will soon be back in the wild.

On the 28th July Animal Collection Officer Geoff George was called out to the Strawberry Farm to a young kestrel with a bleeding wing which is now named 'Pokemon' and is near ready for release.

Three weeks ago a young kestrel was found and rescued on Lihou Island and brought into the GSPCA.

The young bird which was called Sue and since the 1st July the bird has been hand reared and then placed in a rehabilitation aviary.

Last week when Sue was checked over what was thought to be a she is in fact a he, and he was rung with an ID ring before his release.

In the last few days Sue was deemed fit enough to be returned to where he was found and we are pleased to announce that he was released back on Lihou earlier this week.

Earlier in the week we told you about two kestrels that were rescued recently and in the care of the team at the GSPCA.

We are pleased to report that the younger of the two called 'Bradshaw' is back in the wild where he belongs.

Rescued by GSPCA Volunteer Wardens Matt Hill-Smith and Jen Bradshaw found stunned in the road earlier this month Matt popped in yesterday to take him back to the area where he was found.

Thank fully Bradshaw wasn't injured badly and after a short period or rest and care he was fit enough to go back where he belonged.

Last week 2 kestrels were rescued in 2 days.

The first bird now named 'Bradshaw' after the finder who is actually one of our Volunteer Wardens was found stunned in the road and is a young adult.  He was found on Friday on Braye Road and after a few days care he is now ready for release which will be done after all the checks have been completed.

The second bird was rescued on Saturday on L'Ancresse and is a much older bird that was found coated in oil.

On the 26th June a very young, starving kestrel was found on a road in St Peters.

With no mother in site and traffic back and forth the bird was rescued and brought to the GSPCA in St Andrews.

He was placed in an intensive care unit and still had much of his down and not fully feathered due to his age.

Day and night he was hand fed by the team at the Shelter until he was fit enough to place in one of our rehabilitation aviaries.

Over the last few weeks he has built his strength and learnt to fly and forage for food.

Nearly two weeks ago a kestrel was rescued and brought into the GSPCA from the St Peters area in Guernsey.

The injured bird had a damaged eye and would have likely perished if she hadn't been found.

Hook as the kestrel has been called was initially in an intensive care unit with regular treatment prescribed from the vet and as Hook got stronger progressed into a hospital cage before being placed in one of the soft release aviaries here at the Shelter in St Andrews.

Today the GSPCA released Muriel the kestrel back to where she was found.

Muriel was rescued after being found in the middle of the road at L'Ancresse common unable to fly just over two weeks ago.

She was very thin and weak on entry and she spent the start of her stay in an intensive care unit.

She quickly gained weight and strength and for the last week has been in one of the Shelters soft release aviaries.

The GSPCA team and all the animals would like to wish one and all a Happy New Year.

Unfortunately the New Year and the bad weather over the last few days has certainly not helped many of our feathered friends.

New Years Day Ambulance Collection Officer spent much of the day rescuing injured birds around Guernsey.

These included a Gannet that is now named Balthazar. Balthazar was rescued by ACO Geoff George after being found exhausted and thin near Kings Mill.

Winnie, a male Kestrel arrived at the GSPCA on 3^rd October hungry and totally exhausted. He didn’t seem to have any physical injuries and so, after just over a weeks rest, warmth and good food, he was able to be returned to the wild.

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