Who really needs to be rescued?

The kingfisher or me? “We have a young kingfisher being attacked by the birds”. I know that rescues are seldom straightforward, and as kingfishers are not the easiest birds to care for I set out with some trepidation . “It…

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The characteristics of psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD)

This sweet young Eastern Rosella was brought to me needing care. I could do little for it as it had the acute form of this disease as is most commonly observed in young or fledgling birds during their first feather…

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How I make a ringtail drey

Ringtails are housed in a drey when they are put into an aviary. In time it will become well used and sometimes rather tatty. At the time of release, therefore, make sure that the roof is waterproof either with a…

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Ringtail release and a python problem

I have just spent four months caring for six orphaned ringtail possums. These orphaned babies are pretty and a delight to care for even though they require copious amounts of milk throughout the day and night. When they are starting…

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More deaf birds

Unlike me, most people watching a Grand Prix are not aware of the birds sharing the environment. Practice for this week’s Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne was run in conditions only suitable for ducks.     In fact ducks were…

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Swimming with the sealions

Anchoring is sometimes fraught with hazards, but the most unexpected difficulty arose when we anchored at one of the islands in the Galapagos. This quiet bay has a beach at its head on which the sealions bask in the sun.…

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Imping a burnt tawny frogmouth

Imping is a feather splicing technique where a whole feather that matches the broken one is cut to fit with the other feather making a whole feather. The feather shaft is then plugged or splinted internally with something light but…

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A bird with attitude

When asked what is my favourite bird to care for, I am divided between the tawny frogmouths and the herons. I had been away for four months so I was really happy that the first bird I was asked to…

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The Galah with one leg

“Foot” and “Leg” had Christmas dinner with us some years ago. They waited on the balcony rail for a hand-out of seeds. Nature is unkind to those who are not fit and able. The story of “Foot” and “Leg” is…

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Rosellas rearing and release

These week-old chicks were found in a brick wall during home renovations. The parents had chewed through some electrical wiring near the nest and so it had to be removed. Relocating the birds was not successful so I had the…

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A penguin is in need of help

This particular winter’s day I received a call that “There is a penguin in difficulties off our restaurant”. In the true spirit of a wildlife carer I donned bathing togs and rushed to Little Manly Cove to the rescue. The…

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Barny’s Balls

“Barny Brushtail is not well. He has sore places and is very sick.” When I got there Barny was asleep under a pot plant on the balcony. I checked him over – he had very sore and infected testicles. I…

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