After months in care (Lorrie collision) this lovely boy has finally been fully rehabilitated. Off to the wild where he belongs. Long life, many children, handsome! The bones healed in 5 weeks but the soft tissue damage was extensive and took far longer to heal then to rehabilitate for full flight. All falconidae have to reach a 95% + of their full pre-injury flight ability before release, because they must be able to manoeuvre to avoid predators (they are still technically mesopredators) and they have to be able to hover and hit prey at speed. He’s a mature male and we have every confidence in him. ❤️🩹 Really enjoyed sharing this release with eager children. They are our next generation of rehabbers!
GOOD NEWS! A bit graphic—sorry— they’re meat eaters! But for all those rooting for wee Reuben, THANK YOU! He’s slowly recovering! ❤️🩹 Thank you to the finders, transporters and those who help with food, medical and medicine bills! Bless you for caring for our natural wildlife heritage. 🥰
To help us rescue, rehab and release Blue Highlands birds you can support our registered charitable work (SC050767) in any of the following ways;
🦅 For regular donations, and one-off donations please visit
https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/donation/bluehighlandsbirdrescue
This is REUBEN! He has a heavy Parasite load confirmed via microscope (faecal float in the centrifuge). Treatment started addressing that, and first meal given. Thus far holding it down. Send good thoughts!
Here’s a snippet from one of the 2 children’s talks in Lairg. They were so engaging and enthusiastic and so beautifully behaved🌹. Such a pleasure to share knowledge and passion for wildlife with the next generation. Bless…
FOR THOSE WHO COULDN’T ATTEND and were asking for footage: Here is a small snippet of a bird talk in Lairg day before yesterday. There were three engagements, two for about 100 children at Lairg School, then the adult talk was held at the Learning Centre. This covered briefly the catastrophic Vulture population collapse in Africa, due to tribal beliefs about medicines and using vulturine body parts. Fun fact: vultures can completely neutralise ANTHRAX if ingested. They are the world’s sanitation dept. and save us from so many diseases. Then we covered the historical importance of vultures, owls, and other birds of prey (in that order) in their vital roles as our immunity against disease. The talks were several hours long but here’s a small bit for those interested.
Sweet little female Merlin “Paisley” suffered a vehicle impact in Dornoch. Fun fact: This is one of the tiniest birds of prey on the planet. One of the few raptors that are both predator and prey. She’s frightened and has a broken wing + parasites but looks hopeful for a full recovery. ❤️🩹In the Critical Care Unit now, looking much better after a fat meal. Send your healing thoughts.
A few important Blue Highlands updates for our friends and supporters:
1. MARLOWE’S HEROIC JOURNEY: Just WOW. Things could not have come together better to bring him this “happily ever after”. The gratitude I feel, and the joy he is exhibiting is frankly beyond words. He is recovering at record speed and showing more energy and activity than he has since he first came here. An incredibly successful outcome. THANK YOU each and every one of you for coming together and giving him hope and a life. He had the FINEST avian vets from all over the country weighing in, consulting and performing the surgery. It made all the difference. He could easily live a healthy decade or more. All his bloods etc. were likewise checked and his overall health is very very good. **NOTE ALL HIS MEDICAL BILLS AND MEDICINES HAVE NOW BEEN PAID IN FULL! ANY FURTHER DONATIONS TO HIMSELF OR THE SANCTUARY WILL GO DIRECTLY TO THEIR FOOD EXPENDITURES, HOUSING UPGRADES DIETARY SUPPLEMENTALS AND FUTURE MEDICAL. THANK YOU FOR THIS REMARKABLE TEAM EFFORT**
2. HEALTH UPDATE: As you may know, this year brought a terrifying health threat. I was diagnosed with chronic Pneumonitis and have been treated for it for months now. I still have two more specialist appointments in Inverness, but the good news is that we have it under control. I am currently at 75% lung capacity and it is getting better by the month. This has been accomplished with strong corticosteroids etc. and by identifying the source. The source was specifically parrot antigens. Drastic measures have been taken to deep clean carpets, relegate them to only 2 rooms in order to avoid over-exposure or re-dusting the deep cleaned areas of the house, and far more frequent bathing of the few parrots in situ. Outdoor birds pose no threats.
3. WITH CAREFULLY PLANNED MANAGEMENT we will be REOPENING to limited intake only. No further psitticines (parrots) can be admitted for the above reasons. Birds of prey will be taken on a c
CRITICAL UPDATE: PLEASE SHARE FAR AND WIDE!!!! Emergency/ongoing issue: Rubbish internet so I’m not sure when this’ll post, but here’s the news:
Hiya everyone!
PLEASE SEND your love, and most healing thoughts/prayers! Marlowe, one of our most beloved permanent resident Eurasian Eagle Owls is going through surgery within next few hours. It’s the last in a three part series to save his eyesight and to remove a problematic eye that’s recently threatened his life with infection, etc. We shouldn’t have favourites, but he is SOOOO special. He LOVES working with special needs children and the elderly in particular.
Saved from an horrendous situation several years ago, we never expected him to do or have to do anything for anyone. Just be happy, safe, healthy and fulfilled. Yet… he delighted/delights in being with and working with people, unlike our other 6 EEOs. With all he’s done for others, we would do just about ANYTHING for him! Please consider donating to his emergency surgery and after care /medicines (pain relief, injectable antibiotics, LABS for biopsy, steroid eye drops for last bit of uveitis treatment etc).
He’s been such a trooper and is SO worth it! ❤️🩹😭He loves life and people, although he’s been treated pretty rubbish by both before he came here, frankly. Let’s make his last decade or so what it OUGHT to have been. *****He’s been consulted and is being treated by the BEST avian vets in the U.K. His chances are very high. Only worried about General Anaesthesia. Decades of AVIAN experience have weighted in and we are following all their advice ***
Please consider contributing. It will be life changing. This surgery is definitive. WILL UPDATE AS SOON AS HE’S AWAKE AND WELL!!
💙 WAYS TO HELP 💙
To help us rescue, rehab and release Blue Highlands birds you can support our charitable work (SC050767) in any of the following ways;
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🦅 For regular donations, and one-off donations please visit
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UPDATE: Marius, the very small EEO found roadside, emaciated and very, very near death. Recovered from critical care status, but still has a way to go. Treated for endoparasites, given antibiotics, pain meds for impact resulting in wing damage, etc. Despite extensive investigation, owner never successfully located, so he’s joined our permanent resident programme for abused/abandoned/escaped/confiscated/surrendered birds with nowhere else to go. This makes 7 of this species alone who enjoy an stress-free forever home at BHBR😓 Please consider contributing to their medical and food needs.
🦅 For regular and one-off donations please visit
https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/donation/bluehighlandsbirdrescue
Beautifully said…. So often we miss the beauty because of over-exposure or ubiquity. Respect🌹🌹🌹
Education about Psitticines (parrotlets, parrots, macaws). Understanding a bit about their emotional/psychological wellbeing and how their beautiful minds work.🌹💕 The first few seconds are quiet because I’m sitting at my desk watching to see if he is going to disobey and try to climb atop the cage again. Explanation follows. He is really trying to behave today😍
Good morning everyone— Just a little inspiration from our feathered friends and some fine photographers!
