Over the last 50 years Wadars animal rescue charity has dealt with many thousands of wild and domestic animals and birds and last year alone it responded to calls from concerned members of the public relating to more than 1,350 wildlife casualties. A large proportion of the calls are about sick or injured birds, which can range in size from small garden birds to large birds of prey and swans.
Each year between late May and September, Wadars Animal Rescue Officers spend much of their time responding to calls about young seagulls that have fallen from roof tops. In 2018 Wadars rescue officers, supported by a team of trained wildlife volunteers, responded to callouts to more than 600 seagull chicks.
Wherever possible rescue officers will return the gull chicks back onto the roof that they fell from as they stand a much better chance of survival with their parents than coming into a wildlife centre.
A few weeks before Christmas Wadars animal rescue officer Julie Brewer was called to a local garage to assist with a buzzard which had flown full pelt into the grill of a van that was travelling on the motorway near Portsmouth.
Despite the bird being well and truly jammed into the grill of the van, the driver continued on to Worthing before he realised what had happened. Rescue officer, Julie was able to help cut it free and then took it along to a local vet where it was thoroughly checked over for any injuries.
X-rays revealed that nothing was broken and after a short period of recuperation, the buzzard was eventually released by Wadars back into the area that it originally came from.