OK, either I'm going a bit soft or I've taken the RSPB's new strapline 'Giving Nature a Home' just a bit too literally....
On Sunday a couple of visitors reported a black-headed gull was walking ahead of them like it was doing the treasure hunt around the Reedbed Trail. I decided to investigate and found the gull at the pond dipping platform, apparently having completed the treasure hunt and starting with our self-guided pond dipping! On closer inspection he was looking rather ill, like he'd got hungry mid-pond dipping and, well, maybe eaten one too many whirlygig beetles or something, but I couldn't see anything wrong with him physically. Now normally as a hardened warden I tend to follow the motto 'Leave the Nature Alone', but I just couldn't abandon him by the pond-dipping platform. Since the RSPB doesn't have animal welfare facilities I called the RSPCA, but the advice was to take him to a vet. Unfortunately there wasn't much chance of that at 5.45 on a Sunday, so he was going to have to come home with me. I didn't know he was a he of course, but I didn't want to get into any kind of trouble for inviting a her into the house, so that's what he had to be.
So I got 'nature' home and put him in the porch. Now gulls have a pretty varied diet and I thought he might be so weak because he was hungry, so I tried putting some bread out for him, he loved it. Then I really got silly and cooked him some bacon I had left over, but after a couple of beakfulls he'd had enough. Right then, bed time mr gull. Speaking with a friend that night I said I didn't have a name for him, "How about Larry?" she said, perfect. "Did you put some newspaper down on the floor before you put him in the porch?", oh guano, no I didn't.
Next morning as could have easily been foreseen Larry had left me lots of presents around the porch. He still looked a bit ill but was standing up and pacing around, like he was ready for another family activity. After a couple of phone calls I'd arranged to take him to the local vets where the RSPCA officer would collect him later, so off we went. When I got to the vets they ushered me into the assessment room, I put the box he was in down and just for a moment considered asking if I could stay while they checked him over......but as I've a reputation as a hardened warden to try to rebuild I decided not to. I don't know what happened to Larry after I left him, but I'd like to think he's back at Frampton playing with his mates and telling them about this soft warden who gave him bacon butties.
Well that's my recent experience of 'Giving Nature a Home', I hope yours is as much fun. Of course I haven't forgotten about Larry and thanks to his strong constitution I'm still reminded of him every time I go into the porch.
John
Perhaps a cup of liquorice tea as well for your next inmate?
I wonder what that was that just flew past??