We have a Eurasion woodcock, Scolopax rusticola, occupying our downstairs bathroom. It should have flown south weeks ago. The poor thing was exhausted. The crows and magpies decided it might serve as a meal, and attacked it. I saw the commotion, ran outside to check what was going on, and managed to catch it. Since I didn't know what to do with it I rang a vet who directed me to an ornithologist. He told us how we might try and help the bird indoors until the weather turns milder and the snow melts a bit more down by the sea. This is the bird: We've made a soil-and-moss-arrangement in a shallow tray, and put mealy worms and softened cat pellets on top of the moss. That way the bird can search for food much like it does outside. We also have a tray of water, and a dish with crushed fat balls for birds in case this bird will like that. From what we can tell Mx Woodcock eats the worms. The poor thing panicks when we enter the room so we try to go in there only three times per day to check on it and give it more worms, change the water and pellets. We'll see how it goes. We're hopeful but nothing is certain with wild birds. Wish us luck!
A very interesting story. I recognised it immediately. I have everything crossed for it. If it survives, it will be against all odds. Having said that, the chances are not zero, especially if you can vary the diet a bit. Good luck, and don’t give up. Perhaps you ought to keep a journal, writing down what you do and how things progress. p.s. Funny cartoon posted by the cat.
Droopy, having helped out a fair bit with a wildlife rescue here, I can tell you that you appear to have covered everything. The fact that this is an adult bird makes it easier and much more hopeful for a successful release when the time is right. Well done indeed for what you have already achieved, and we are looking forward to the thrilling and rewarding day your little friend is returned to the wild. I found a baby mistle thrush next to it's dead mother once, and took it home (with some difficulty, as I had to drive with two over zealous dogs in the car, and the bird on my lap wrapped in my jumper) I called him Melvin. He was released when he was old enough and after being hand fed -on demand- with a dropper and some special concoction from the rescue that was liquid. On the big day Melvin was released on our land with a greenfinch we also had. Since then, we catch sight of a mistle thrush, usually with a friend - a little greenfinch ahhh
I thought you would recognise it, @Sjoerd and thanks for your crossed fingers. The cartoon wasn't supposed to be there. I don't know how it got there but I managed to un-get it there. I don't think there's need for a journal since it's the same routine every day. The ornithologist said we should feed it worms, but the ground is covered in 30 cm of snow still, and frozen underneath too, so mealy worms it is. Thank you for your encouragement, @Tetters, and for sharing a lovely rescue story. Awww! We can't do anything but our best, and hope it's enough to help the bird get strong enough to go back outside.
Good luck with the bird. Once we rescued a baby sparrow on the patio, it was soaked wet through and looked near to death. We brought it in and put it on a duster in a cardboard box in the bathroom with some water and half a hard boiled egg. By the morning, it had really perked up and eaten some of the egg. We put it back on the patio and it happily flew off.
Thank you @Doghouse Riley. What a sweet sparrow-story. I'll remember the egg bit in case we get a sparrow or similar in who needs help. So glad it got to fly away.
The bird has flown. We fed it breakfast, wrapped it in a towel and drove to a nearby woody marshland by the sea. It ran off, jumped on a rock to look around, then flew into the underbrush. We hope it will be OK now. Of course we'll never know but at least it got a second chance for life. I found a cheapo surveillance camera and put it up downstairs so we could check on the bird without disturbing it. We were surprised to discover it was very active during the night:
God speed little woodcock, just don't forget your Auntie Droopers well done Auntie !! Evidently that bird is nocturnal until the mating season when it comes out in the day to play.....
Thanks, Tetters! I'd rather it forgot about us. Imagine opening the front door and find it sitting there! I've fed the remaining worms to the wild birds in the garden and spent a couple of hours with strong detergents and alcohol to get the bathroom sanitized after we let the bird fly. Wouldn't want to make a habit of that.
Droopy …Great recovery story..thanks for the great pics. A quick take for horse rescue during the fire season. Two summers ago I had to load up the horses and dogs take to the county fair grounds due to evacuations . The fire was extinguished before coming up the canyon ridge below us. ‘ I came back home and found a the littlest horse in the barn picking at the hay left in in feeder bins. About two years old. Could not find the owner so ended up with another horse until he was adopted out. He went to a good home .
