How about this for a feel good story to start the year with?
Isle of Wight wildlife rescuer, Edward Burden, who is regularly called out to rescue wildlife in need, spent his Christmas nursing a female swan back to health.
Edward shared this heartwarming story about the swan’s rescue on the Isle of Wight Nature Facebook Group and is happy for us to share it with News OnTheWight readers.
He explains,
“Three and a half weeks ago I was called to a female swan who was seen sat on the mud, very weak and unable to stand – she was not in a good way and probably wasn’t going to survive the night.
“I grabbed her, checked her over and quickly got her into the heated cage in the ambulance.”
Rehydrated and made comfortable
Back at Edward’s small clinic the journey to recovery for this female swan began.
Edward said,
“I tube fed her a special mix of warmed rehydration fluids, high energy supplement and something to help get the gut working. I then placed her in a pen on a comfy duvet under a heat lamp and gave her a couple of hours before returning to repeat the tube feeding.
“This had the desired effect and an hour or so later I was watching her on the CCTV with her head up, eating the solid food I’d left her.
“These are the moments that make you smile!”
Reunited with her partner
Thankfully the improvements continued, but Edward says it was clear the swan’s recovery from the trauma to her head was going to take some time.
He was keen to make sure her partner didn’t fly away in search of her, particularly as Avian Flu had been confirmed in another part of the Island.
“The following morning, I returned to the rescue location and secured the male. I was perfectly happy that neither of these birds had anything contagious and so keeping them together was definitely the right thing to do.”
A steady recovery
Edward explained that each day she was able to stand and walk a little better, so much that after six days he moved them to a different pen with a pond in it.
He adds,
“Over the next two weeks she regained her weight, strength and condition and, last Tuesday I released them back to their territory.
“I’ve been back to check on them every day since, taking a bit of bread and grain with me – I’m pleased to report that they are both doing fine and don’t seem to bear any grudge as they are both happy to come to me for food, in spite of me having prodded and poked them and man-handled them in and out of cages and pens!”
“Two of the loveliest swans I’ve ever cared for”
Edward finished by saying that having rescued and cared for thousands of swans and other waterfowl over the years, that these were perhaps two of the loveliest swans he’s ever cared for.
“May they stay safe and happy.”
See Edward’s original post on the Group to watch a video of the swans’ release.
You can follow more stories like this, as well as see some fantastic photographs of Isle of Wight nature and wildlife by visiting the IW Nature Facebook Group.
Image: © Edward Burden
