Wobbly legs and embedded threads: caring for Aberdeen’s wildlife

No sooner had we said goodbye to Mary than we had Bertie the juvenile gull in the house for a few days. I found him at St Nicholas Kirk after someone reported he couldn’t walk. He could walk but not very well, his legs were wobbly, and he couldn’t fly. I caught him quite easily. After several days of sardines he started to show some improvement but I wasn’t sure where to send him. There’s always a worry when you send an animal to one of the main rescue centres that they might euthanise them. This is because they will only rehabilitate and release animals that have a very good prognosis and high chance of surviving independently in the wild. Broken legs and wings in birds are generally considered a poor prognosis and there are no dedicated sanctuaries for disabled gulls. It didn’t look to me like Bertie had any broken bones so in the end he went with the SSPCA, hopefully to their hospital in Fishcross though I will have to wait until next week to learn his fate. I’m not sure what was…