Otter and Stoat.

 This 5 month old otter cub was found dead on the road side nr Malton. She was in lovely condition, just had a clip with a car which killed her. I took the carcass to the Environment Agencey in York who send them to Cardiff Universirty for post mortem. Good to know they're about but sad this one didn't make it.

The baby stoat did well and has grown into a fine looking animal.

Been out Barn Owl ringing with Craig, Lucy and Fallon in the Lower Derwent Valley. This fine pair were found fat and happy in a wooden nest box. They will soon be fledged and out and about.

June juv's.

Another roe fawn came in from Norton. This little orphan was found in a layby near Leeds and brought home by some passing motorists.
They rang the rspca , who called me to collect it. They promised they would get it to their wildlife hospital in Cheshire asap. When I called to collect it the couple spoke little english and had done a wonderful job of getting it to suckle from a baby's bottle.I rang the rspca again on arrival home and sadly they were not willing to act quickly. So I boxed him up and went to Cheshire myself. Her needed to settle and begin his rehab without any more sholling about. He fairs well I hear and has been joined by another. They are very difficult to rear.

Here's one of the fostered jackdaws now resident at Wheldrake, fledged and raring to go.

This young Oyster Catcher was found on a trading estate with a scraped leg. He was thin but ready to fly. I took him for ringing and release at Bank Island on the Lower Derwent Valley NNR. Craig, a passing birder and me took him on to the wet pasture for release. As we put him down a passing adult Oyster Catcher made that familiar call and the juv called back whilst still in my hand  !
3 days later Craig rang to say he was watching a ringed juv Oyster Catcher folowing an adult about the wet pasture , all very satisfactory.




A farming couple found this young Little Owl in their hen run with the chickens all joining in to make short work of this little predator. He was rescued and put in nearby bushes where the crows and jackdaws decided to finish him off. So he came here to build up before his return. He should do well and is resting with food and in a dry pen for now. The persistant rain has not been good for juvenile wildlife and many young birds and mammals will have perished. I heard of young tawnies wet through and dying ground nesters found in the long wet grass. Let's hope it cheers up soon.

Here's Fallon Mahon of N.E. with the first lot of orphaned Mallard ducklings being released at North Duffiled NNR.
They came here in ones and twos and were reared on together.
They so love to be out in a natural space and dabbled and swam in the pond. Within 30 minutes they were hiding and behaving just as wild ducks do, wonderful.

These 2 rescued juvenile Jackdaws were taken in after their nest in an old ash tree was cut back illegally. I cared for them for a couple of days and then they went to be fostered at Wheldrake. A favourite nest site for Jackdaws had 2 youngsters the same age. So Craig Ralston of N.E. suggested they all be reared together.

Here's Craig introducing the 2 newcomers to their new home.
Over a week has gone by and all 4 are looking well and thriving.
The N.Y.Police are looking into the reasons they were removed from their nest.

Growing Up.

 This young Mistle Thrush is out in the shed , just beginning to feed itself. Flight feathers still growing , won't be long before its off. It has a blackbird friend and they are both learning to fly and wild up in a bigger space. They need some time and some warmth to get going properly.

4 young Tawnies are now out in the avairy.They're not good flyers yet but getting there.
I had an early one which was ringed and released earlier this week.

DO NOT TOUCH

This days old roe deer fawn was picked up by a Staffie dog walker who boasted to his neighbours he'd chased the mother off. He left this nervous youngster in his house with the dog whilst he went off to do a days work. The RSPCA were called and waited and waited to try and recover this wild mammal. Eventually the dog owner sent his keys by taxi for the RSPCA ACO to help this enforced orphan. He came here shocked and flat . He never recovered and sadly after lots of careful TLC died quietly under a heat lamp.Roe deer are very nervous creatures and give birth in meadows and woodland at this time of year. They leave their newborns in the long grass and keep coming back to feed them. After a few days the youngsters follow their mothers browsing the greenery around them. These newborn wild deer must not be touched or moved  by humans or their dogs as the mother deer may not continue with their care. So please leave them alone , their mothers will be close by and will continue to look after them if they are left alone.

Juveniles

Juvenile time of year with lots of young wildlife in to care for.
This little stoat came in with a nicked ear, still blind and needing warmth and lots of food.
She's doing well.

This fat Mistle Thrush is thriving, eating mealworms and cat food.

Young Tawny Owls come out to branch from their nests.
The parent birds are usually about but walkers pick them up and bring them in . They should rear well but would be far better off parent reared .

Mallard ducklings enjoying the sunshine. They will be ringed and released on the Lower Derwent Valley soon.

Spectacular Swift Release.

A long distance summer visitor was found floored last night by a dog walker close to home. This adult swift was wet through and being closely watched by the local cat population. The bird arrived here this morning , weighing 47g.It had dried out overnight and was tube fed with critical care.It flitted across the kitchen and looked bright and alert.

So off into the back field for release. Swifts cannot take off from the ground , their little legs are too short for them to gain momentum. Swifts have to be enthusiastically thrown into the air to return them to the element they are most at home in. So it was with this one , off it went wide and high , spectacular !