Of the many birds Owls and Birds of Prey Rescue have looked after over this winter one story has stood out, a long-stay feisty young male Buzzard called Stanway.
This article summarises the ongoing story of Stanway, and shows the dedication, perseverance and hard work of this amazing rescue team, led by Stephanie Callister-Jarrold, along with a fantastic veterinary team, who have kindly shared images and X-rays.
Advisory: This article contains details and images of a distressed and injured animal. Where possible these images are not the primary images shown, but please be aware images of surgery and x-rays may still be visible if the image carousel has not re-set.
Stanway was named after the area of the A12 he was found nearby. It looked as if this Buzzard had been clipped by a car, their eye was swollen and there was blood showing from the nostril, he seemed concussed but was standing.
After a check over and initial treatment Stanway was a bit brighter the next morning. He was let out into the Aviary during the daytime to give him some fresh air and exercise. The swelling in his eye and upper chest subsided together with the concussion, and he seemed much more comfortable in himself.
Starting rehabilitation
Whilst in the Aviary, Stanway could keep his wing muscles in tiptop condition and ensuring they did not atrophy whilst in care. The team noticed Stanway was not feeding himself, but this is normal, and Stephanie was just waiting for that “light-bulb moment” when Stanway remembered that he can do this himself! All in all, the team were very pleased with Stanway’s progress, and it was just a waiting game to see how Stanway would do.
Ringing and release plans
In the next stage of their rehabilitation, Stanway, along with three others of the Rescues house guests, received their British Trust for Ornithology Rings (BTO). Stephanie reported everyone was well behaved whilst they took their biometrics and attached their rings (ringing second image above).
Stanway seemed to have bonded well with another rescue called Stisted, and the team aimed to release them together so they could help each other cope with life in the big outdoors. But just as he was ready to be released, Stanway’s had other ideas…
After being put out in the flight aviary, as usual, later in the day that Stanway could not bear weight on his left leg. The team did not know what he had done but took him to see the Vet. The Vet could feel a break in the leg, so Stanway stayed at the vets for X Rays and further checks with the Orthopaedic Surgeon, to see if his leg was fixable.
It was a clean, mid-way break so his leg could be fixed, but meant a brief time being contained in the cage to stop him moving about too much and causing more damage, until he could be operated on. (Broken leg x-ray second and third image below).
Fixing the break
The Veterinary Centre’s Orthopaedic Surgeon explained Stanway’s leg would be pinned both sides of the break, after a rod had been inserted into the leg bone, and then an external fixator would be fitted to ensure everything stayed where it should whilst healing took place. The centres Veterinary Nurse very kindly shared photos and x-rays of the procedure.
To see images of the surgery and x-rays scroll across image below.
Stanway made it home to the Rescue and stayed on cage rest for some weeks whilst everything healed. Stephane and the team just hoped he could behave himself enough to fully recover from the operation.
After Stanway’s first post-surgery check-up the Orthopaedic Surgeon, was delighted at the progress, there was obviously still a long way to go for this frustrated buzzard who was showing an understandable excess of attitude!
Three weeks after the first check, Stanway needed a couple more of XRays to make sure the bones were knitting together. The brilliant news was all was working, and the bones were starting to callous over. Stanway did not seem impressed with the prospect of another two weeks of cage rest, and we can’t blame him, it must have been very confusing for this wild buzzard.
After another three weeks of cage rest, a check showed all was going well, so under anaesthetic, the Orthopaedic Surgeon, from the Veterinary Centre proceeded to remove the rod and fixator. (Post operation image and later x-ray after rod removal images below)
To stop Stanway getting too excited and damaging anything in his hurry to charge about, he was kept in the cage for a couple more days, before putting him in a larger cage and eventually out into the flight aviary.
Rehabilitation – Again.
Much to the rescue teams surprise, Stanway had been an excellent patient, albeit rather feisty when taken out/put back in the cage, but that is understandable. None of this would have been possible without the expertise of Veterinary Centre and their Orthopaedic surgeon.
Now the Rescue team are working on getting Stanway fit, again, and back into the wild where he belongs…Good Luck Stanway.
If you want to follow Stanway’s story or any of the rescues other stories you can go to the rescues website and check out Stephanie Blog at Owls and Birds of Prey Rescue
