Highland Wildlife Rescue

Highland Wildlife Rescue We rehabilitate native wildlife species, in Brora, in the Scottish Highlands. Join us on our journey!
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JULIETYoung, very recently fledged, and found far from her parents, sibling and nestbox.When bird ringers pop those shin...
29/06/2025

JULIET

Young, very recently fledged, and found far from her parents, sibling and nestbox.

When bird ringers pop those shiny little anklets on we sometimes find out things that would otherwise have never been revealed - giving us clues to misadventure or interference that may have occurred.

We report all suspicious activity concerning wildlife to the police. Wildlife Crime is a serious matter and protecting our Highland wildlife is a privilege that we take very seriously. .

Thank you Mairi for getting her to us, and Nicki for sponsoring this stunning little girl. Just look at how beautifully speckled she is 😍

28/06/2025

DAISY

A fortnight of rebuilding strength, stamina and endurance to ensure this beautiful Kestrel could return to her wild Caithness life.

When she was found she was grounded and unable to fly - weak and with no way to get herself out of trouble, fed, or back into the air so Eòghann uplifted her and he and his wife Emma called for help.

In another joint effort with our fabulous friends at the SSPCA she came into care and got the help she needed.

At her release Mairi was delighted to report that Daisy was joined by another Kestrel and they flew together until they were out of sight.

Letting the finders know about her progress and return to freedom was fantastic - in busy times it can be tricky to keep all of our wonderful sponsors updated so we appreciate everyone's support and patience 💚

17 patients in today with last feeds still to be done......A House Martin fledgling, a juvenile, male Sparrowhawk, a Pip...
27/06/2025

17 patients in today with last feeds still to be done......

A House Martin fledgling, a juvenile, male Sparrowhawk, a Pipistrelle Bat pup, 4 gull chicks, 3 House Martin nestlings, another gull chick and an adult, female Barn Owl, a Wood Pigeon squab, a fledgling Blackbird from a vet practice, plus a Tawny Owlet and an injured sun-adult gull transfered in from another rescue, and to top it all off - a juvenile CUCKOO!!

It was like Picadilly Circus at more than one point.

Patients came from as far as the Isle of Lewis, Wick and Inverness and we were very ably assisted by Lisa, John & Debbie, Mairi and Sandra, who provided vital transport links to ensure patients got to us, as well as finders who brought their own casualties in.

I even managed to trade a rehabbed Kestrel with Mairi, who got her back home to Caithness for a hugely successful release (video to come soon).... I was overheard saying "IF I TAKE YOUR BARN OWL CAN I SWAP FOR A KESTREL?"

A busy day where working together made some wild magic happen 💚

OUT & IN5 of our 14 House Martin chicks were safely released to the colony at Brora Caravan And Motorhome Club where the...
26/06/2025

OUT & IN

5 of our 14 House Martin chicks were safely released to the colony at Brora Caravan And Motorhome Club where they were instantly flying strongly and chatting with lots of others.

Meantime these 3 nestlings checked in to the Chick Shack Airbnb so the annual House Martin conveyor belt of care is truly up and running!

As we approach the peak of baby season please phone for help rather than messaging or emailing..... 07957 584817

We are munching our way through hundreds of insects a day - if you'd like to help us out we'd be immemsely grateful for deliveries to

Highland Wildlife Rescue 146 Ladies Loch, Brora KW9 6NG

https://share.google/1CLlKjTMwlEvbfmTy

Humans who put their watersports pleasure ahead of wildlife welfare drove your parents off the quiet little Lochan where...
26/06/2025

Humans who put their watersports pleasure ahead of wildlife welfare drove your parents off the quiet little Lochan where they've tried unsuccessfully to raise a family for several years.

With dad gone and then mum too, one of your siblings was predated.

Your other sibling was found dead in the Lochan by the caring people who wanted to help.

You made it here because of their kind efforts.

I'm just sorry that you'd been alone and cold for too long and couldn't keep going.

RIP little Dubh, and my heartfelt thanks to the lovely, kindhearted people who tried to help including Shirley and Mel and Gunta 💚

25/06/2025

FLIGHT SCHOOL

The first of our "gulp" of House Martin chicks have been enjoying some extra space to practise their flying skills. We rear over 50 of these every year and they're a favourite here.

With 14 currently in care, and all expected to make it to release the feeding schedule is relentless.

Each one must be handfed - the tiny nestlings every 30 minutes for 14 hours!

The waxworms you so kindly sent, along with crickets and supplements are ensuring strong bones and perfect feathers, for their first trip to Africa at the end of Summer, so thank you for helping.

If you have nests on your home or building, maintain a mud puddle so that parents can carry out essential repairs, and if a nest falls, gather the chicks and keep them warm while you find help (no food or water to be given meantime).

For more information about these incredible little aviators, including artificial nest cups, and specialist rehabilitators you can visit www.housemartinconservation.com or House Martin Conservation UK & Ireland

24/06/2025

PIP & SQUEAK

Enjoy your breakfast folks!

These two Pipistrelle bat pups got a big fat waxworm treat yesterday and I think we can safely say they enjoyed them!

Their only job now that they're weaned, is to eat, grow and sleep.

Considering that one was found in a swimming pool a week ago, we are over the moon with their progress 💚

The gull soundtrack is provided by one of our nesting pairs over on an adjacent roof!

How beautiful is this Bullfinch?Found grounded in Claire's garden he wasn't able to stand or fly and possibly got a tiny...
23/06/2025

How beautiful is this Bullfinch?

Found grounded in Claire's garden he wasn't able to stand or fly and possibly got a tiny little lick from Claire's dog 🙈

The safest approach for any garden birds grounded in a garden, with these symptoms, is to treat them as window impact victims.

WINDOW STRIKE ADVICE REMINDER
Place bird in a ventilated box, on a soft cloth to be rested somewhere quiet and dark for an hour. Take the box outside before opening it and hopefully your bird flies out of the box and away, back to it's wild life.

* Injured birds definitely need immediate assessment as do those who are still unable to fly after the hour of box rest.

We're delighted to say this chap came in for checks and returned home for release which was successful 💚

MYRTLE'S familyThis was the first little family to come in 11 days ago after mum had been uplifted by a member of the pu...
22/06/2025

MYRTLE'S family

This was the first little family to come in 11 days ago after mum had been uplifted by a member of the public, but kept in a box in a spare room with food and water and no real plan.

She'd been seen out in the day but no call had been made for help or advice and when she birthed four hoglets a few days later the finder realised her mistake.

We then had two danger points - transporting and reuniting.

Hedgehog mums that suffer stress or disturbance can kill (and eat) their babies. It's a survival instinct for mum.

Given that this poor mum-to-be was probably just out collecting nesting material in preparation for birthing she'd already been uplifted, handled, contained and kept in an unsuitable environment. We know the finder thought they were helping but they had inadvertently created a highly stressful situation..

While our wonderful transport volunteer Lisa collected them and brought them to us with mum in one box and newborn hoglets in another, we set up a nursery and on arrival checked the hoglets before popping them in. We then reintroduced mum, walked away, and for the next 10 days left her alone except to quickly and silently add fresh food and water.

Yesterday Kirstin was here on hedgehog volunteer duty and we did some basic, essential cleaning for MYRTLE. We were absolutely over the moon to spy all FOUR hoglets alive and well!

Phew. Stress levels slightly reduced 💚

TAWNY OWLETSWhat a shocker this morning with that thunderstorm! We got a huge fright and had to snuggle together for com...
22/06/2025

TAWNY OWLETS

What a shocker this morning with that thunderstorm!

We got a huge fright and had to snuggle together for comfort 💚

21/06/2025

RAPHAEL

This afternoon, this wee lad and I took a wee road trip about 40 minutes from here to pick his perfect release spot.

At just over 850g (over 8 times what he weighed when he arrived), he has been an absolutely model patient.

He was alert, eating well, and very ready for his return to the wild.

Enjoy your freedom little guy, I needed the joy of a release today after an extremely busy week and losing one of my elderly dogs, lovely Xena. Seeing you going back to the wild for a second chance Raphael was wonderful medicine for the soul.

**thank you Jackie Matheson, Raphael's sponsor 💚

Second video in comments

After being dug up by a farm dog this evening these 4 hoglets and mum were competely dependent on the fabulous farm fami...
20/06/2025

After being dug up by a farm dog this evening these 4 hoglets and mum were competely dependent on the fabulous farm family for their welfare.

They couldn't be replaced in the destroyed, shallow nest right beside the farm track and there were concerns that mum was hurt so Kay phoned us to learn that they needed to

🦔 separate mum from hoglets for transport
🦔 keep hoglets warm while travelling
🦔 get them here ASAP

The box mum went into was too shallow so she escaped and had to be found again, but Kay then drove them all here from near Wick, an hour away.

Now all checked and settled, we are hopeful that mum will continue to care for her babies who are only a couple of days old.

We'll hopefully have a positive update in 7-10 days 🤞💚

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Brora

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+447957584817

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