Starling Rescue

[Hezz]

This morning while walking the dog/ picking grass for the birds, I found a huge multiple starlings' nest/s lying on the ground - the branch they were attached to had broken off and dropped. I found one little chick underneath it all, no damage done, so bundled him up with some of the nest and brought him home, fed him some egg and biscuit and took him off to the vets when they opened. Here is the little guy:




On my way back from the vets, I almost drive right passed the spot where the nests had fallen, and I could see a heap of the starlings down on the ground close to the nest, so wondered if there were more still in the nests. I picked it up and could see one other little fella, so I put the whole thing, branch and all into the back of the car and drove back to the vets. We got the second chick out; about the same size as the first, but left them to it to cut open the nests to see if they could find any more. Pity I didn't have the camera with me; the size and complexity of the whole thing was amazing.

At least they will have each other for company during care until they reach releasing age.

[Hezz]

Update: Phoned the surgery just before closing time at midday. Two more live chicks were found in the nest of nests, and a couple of others that didn't make it. So four altogether that are looking good and healthy. I am happy with that.

[OP]

Very well done you for having the forethought to take the whole nest to the vets. You must feel quite chuffed at it all, and so you should be.

[jellybean]

Well done Hezz. Doesn't it give you a NICE feeling knowing you have done something to save the life/lives of something so small and helpless.

[samwiseg]

Nice one Hezz

I think if you are a "bird person" your eyes are open a bit more than others and we spot things such as these whereas others would just walk past it.

How lovely that they will be given a second chance at having life, credit to you

[skysmum]

Ahhh bless them, well done for rescuing these little mites Hezz. I cant imagine the nest situation, amazing that it was either one huge nest or multiple nest's all on one branch, quite something too see if not a bit of a sad situation. Do the vet's pass them on to a wildlife rescue?

[Hezz]

It is a mass of several nests, but with all the outer fibre interlocking and very tough. I had a hard time trying to pull some off to give the first fella a bit of "home".

jellybean, OP, Sam, it does give you the warm and fuzzies to know that four little birds will soon be flying about with the others instead of perishing. It kept me on a high all day.

skysmum, they do. The vet checks them over, makes sure they are fine, no broken bones etc and before I left the second time they already had a carer lined up for the first one. Hee hee, little did that person know he/she would be going home with four, not just one!!

[skysmum]

she's going to be a busy lady.

[mizloco]

Lovely, well done hezz. I had sixteen starlings feeding in my garden today they are beautiful.

[milliej]

Well done Hezz there must be something about starlings....we rescued a one a year or so back and I was told to feed it live worms yuk! He (?) eventually flew into our garden (the size of a pocket hanky) and stayed there for a few days before flying off. I often wonder if the starlings that come to peck at the fat balls are his or his offspring ha birds....fascinating creatures.