TREVOR WEEKS: Shoppers, please support us at Eastbourne Waitrose this month

A buzzard has been admitted at WRAS after being hit by a vehicle near Uckfield.
Uckfield Leisure centre pigeon rescue SUS-170215-100308001Uckfield Leisure centre pigeon rescue SUS-170215-100308001
Uckfield Leisure centre pigeon rescue SUS-170215-100308001

A kind gentleman stopped and picked up the bird wrapping it in his coat.

He took the bird to Henley House Vets in Uckfield, by which time the bird had come to and was perched on the seat of his car.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Vet Chris Hall checked the bird over and could find very little wrong.

WRAS collected the buzzard, which was admitted into care for 48 hours’ observation before release.

We have had another buzzard in from Broad Oak near Heathfield for the past couple of weeks, and this had now recovered well enough to also be released back to the wild too.

WRAS received a call around 11.30am on Sunday regarding an injured fox behind Waitrose in Lewes.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The callers had tried other organisations but sadly they had no one free or in the area.

Rescuer Chris Riddington rushed over from our hospital in Whitesmith to help the poor fox.

When he arrived the callers had kindly waited which saved Chris time having to search for it.

The injured fox was in a ditch at the bottom of an embankment running alongside the bridge.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Chris descended down the steep bank and used a soft blanket to wrap the fox up and carry it back up to the ambulance.

On assessment a large necrotic wound was found and the muscle and tissue had been fatally affected.

Chris rushed the fox straight to the vets to end the poor creatures suffering.

This turned into the first of four fox calls on Sunday all of which ended up dying or being put to sleep due to the severity of their condition.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A very poorly fox was rescued by Murrae from Greenway, Old Town Eastbourne.

The fox was found staggering in the street, possibly struck by a car.

Our care team gave emergency medication and gave fluids.

Unfortunately the fox deteriorated overnight and had to be put to sleep in the morning.

Thank you to Sussex Police for their assistance after calling us out to another fox at Hollywell in Eastbourne too.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

After a while you harden up to casualties not surviving or having to be put to sleep, but when it is repeatedly like this it can be a struggle to cope.

Rescuers dealing with a grounded collared dove in Walton Close Eastbourne.

We have had a stunning pheasant delivered from outside the Ardingly showground.

Found flapping in the middle of the road, we suspect has been clipped by a car,

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Do you belong to a community group like a WI, scout group, church group, or live in a residential home and would like WRAS founder Trevor Weeks MBE to come along and give an illustrated talk showing pictures and videos on the work of East Sussex Wildlife Rescue for just a donation of £45?

Then call 01825873003 to find out more and make a booking.

We are unable to book talks during May, June, July and August.

We also give talks to schools and colleges as well as outside of East Sussex but these require a higher donation.

East Sussex WRAS is one of the chosen charities in Old Town Eastbourne Waitrose this month so please pop in and support us.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The more tokens we receive the higher the share of £1,000 we will receive. We will also be in Brighton Waitrose in March.

Rescuers Chris, Laura, Katie, Kathy and I were called to catch a pigeon inside Uckfield Leisure Centre last week.

Rescuer Sally attended during the day to assess the situation but decided it would be safer for a team to attend once the centre was closed to the public.

Just before 10pm rescuers arrived and set about catching the bird with long poles and nets.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

By chance the pigeon was at one end where rescuers could climb to the roof and luckily flew towards the end windows allowing rescuers to swiftly catch and secure the bird.

The pigeon was taken back to Kathy’s home in Uckfield for the night and will be released in the morning after a night’s rest.