Razorbill rescue – mission accomplished!
We are delighted to announce that the pair of rescued Razorbill’s we cared for have just been released back to sea, near St Catherine’s Lighthouse, where they were originally found.
It was at the start of the year that we said hello to our unusual guests who were in desperate need of some special love and attention. These distinctive seabirds, with barrel-shaped bodies, and short tails and wings, were found washed up on a beach – the poor things were covered in oil and would not have survived without help. Luckily they were spotted and taken to Carisbrooke Vets. After a check-up and many washes to remove the oil, we were asked to rehabilitate them until they recovered enough to go back out to sea.
So our amazing Keepers got to work organising daily deliveries of fresh sandeels for the birds’ breakfast and dinner. And ferrying them to the RSPCA’s pool so they could practise swimming – it was vital that their feathers were fully waterproof again before they could be released. We even eventually managed to borrow a temporary pool to make it easier for the Keepers to monitor their progress on site, at our sanctuary.
Week by week the birds regained their strength and the beads of water started running off their feathers again – a sign that their waterproofing was coming back. The Keepers got lots of regular expert advice to be certain the birds were getting the right treatment and staying on course for a full recovery.
The Keepers find a spot to release the birds
The bird box is put in place on the beach
The first Razorbill investigates outside
Followed by the other one
Then they make their way to the sea
And off they go!
After six weeks of full on care they were both finally ready to go back to the wild. This was a heartwarming end for these beauties, who have certainly left a huge imprint on the hearts of our team.
It’s been a privilege caring for these wonderful sea birds and we would like to give our thanks to The Carisbrooke Vets, the RSPCA and all the experts who shared their advice. And of course, a big hug and thank you to everyone that donated towards the birds’ food and medical costs – we are a small charity and rely on your donations to support our wild bird rescue and release programme.
We’re so proud of our amazing team of Keepers for the incredible care and attention they gave the Razorbills’ throughout the six weeks of rehabilitation. This was in addition to the hard work they put in every single day, looking after all the rescued animals at the Haven – you did it and we couldn’t be prouder!
A wonderful achievement with a happy outcome for these two lucky Razorbills.
