A TAWNY owl thought to have been hurt during the battering winds of Storm Arwen has fully recovered and been released back into the wild.

The injured bird of prey was discovered by a member of the public in their garden at Main Road, Trimdon Station, and was unable to fly.

The man was able to encourage the owl into a box and then alerted the RSPCA.

Inspector Clare Wilson was sent to collect the injured bird, following the incident on December 3, and he was taken to a local wildlife centre for veterinary treatment.

Clare said: “As the owl couldn’t fly and was stranded in the garden, I was worried he may have broken bones and one wing was hanging slightly lower than the other.

“Fortunately, X-rays revealed no broken bones and we suspect he may have been battered around by the winds caused by Storm Arwen which led to some injuries. He was given pain relief in case he had soft tissue damage.

“I then transferred the owl to a wildlife centre where he was also treated for worms and was given a bit of time to build his strength up before he was ready to return to the wild.”

The Northern Echo:

This week, Clare was able to take the owl back to near where he was found to release him back into his natural habitat - a heartwarming moment she caught on video.

She said: “It is always a pleasure to release an injured animal back into the wild after they’ve been rescued and recovered. It was such a privilege to be able to help him.

“Watching a majestic bird like this fly off freely is amazing - it is always a proud moment.

“The RSPCA is the only charity with teams out rescuing animals across England and Wales this Christmas. We have to be there for all kinds of animals who need help, including wildlife like this owl.

"It will cost us £3,750 to feed the animals at one of our wildlife centres this December. We rely entirely on donations to keep our wildlife centres open so we’re calling on animal lovers to Join the Christmas Rescue to help keep our teams doing whatever it takes to rescue, rehabilitate and release wildlife.”

 

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