POPEYE UPDATE: Transportation of Popeye from Fishcross has been delayed until later today. He will now most likely be kept overnight in Inverness before release tomorrow.
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Have just heard from Scottish SPCA that Popeye will be coming home tomorrow !
This news has made my day, and I look forward to returning him to his family in the River tomorrow.
Penny has stoically looked after all the cygnets for the last 3 weeks herself, and I will be fascinated to see the reaction when they all meet again.
The SPCA inspector said that I got Popeye to the Vet in the nick of time, since he was suffering from a bacterial infection. Keeping a daily routine watch on them has it's advantages, for spotting health issues and other problems.
Paris has been in the news lately for all the wrong reasons - showing the barbaric destruction of life, perpetrated by the most destructive species on the Planet.
The next two weeks Paris will hopefully show the other side of the species, and come up with a decisive agreement to limit harmful emissions and protect life.
Some interesting facts and graphics from NASA on the evidence of climate change above and HERE .
Still no word on Popeye, but I'm hoping no news is good news !
Penny still keeping the cygnets close - and they're keeping their heads down - Feeding !
Penny is still playing a waiting game for Popeye's return. I have noticed several times that she is asserting her Alpha role, by making deep grunting sounds amidst the cygnets, usually only done by Popeye ! No doubt this is to keep the cygnets compliant and under her total control.
On Thursday I am hoping to get an update and timeline from the Scottish SPCA on Popeye's return date to the river.
Have just been given an update on Popeye from Scottish SPCA at Fishcross wildlife centre. He has been given an X-ray, since his blood test results were inconclusive. Nothing untoward has been spotted and he continues to show improvement by eating more, he was weighed at just over 11 kilos. He has another 4 days medication to take, then he will be moved into a bigger pond with other swans. They intend to keep him for another Vet check next Tuesday, then a further few days to make sure he is OK after coming off the medication. The Liver medication appears to be flushing out whatever has sickened him.
The earliest we can have him back is likely to be the end of next week or beginning of the following week .
They want to make sure he wont go downhill after sending him back. I Just hope Penny has not given up on him by then !!
The absence of Popeye is having it's effect on Penny. Caring and watching out for the 6 cygnets alone, appears to be tiring her out.
Today she looked really tired and had some shut eye after I fed her and the cygnets.
She probably does not get the same amount of sleep having to keep a wary eye on her brood and watching out for predators and dangers all by herself. I hope we get Popeye back soon to share the burden.
POPEYE UPDATE : Just been informed that Popeye is responding to Liver Treatment, and is now eating, walking, and swimming. He is being treated by renowned SPCA Bird Vet Mr Alistair Lawrie BMVS HonFRCVS . He will be seen again on Thursday when hopefully the blood test results will be available.
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Still waiting on Popeye's blood test results, but have been told that his condition is improving and "heading in the right direction". I take this to be good news for the moment, but will be a lot happier when they tell me he has a clean bill of health and is ready for the road home !
A few pics to remind us all of what a superb and important bird he is !
Penny has a definite air of melancholy, Popeye her lifelong partner is nowhere to be found and she is at a loss. The only thing keeping her going are the Cygnets.
I am hoping I will get Popeye returned to her this coming week. He will be stressed at being kept away from his family, and this will not help his health condition either.
He has lost everything, his partner, family, territory and usual food supply. I hope the SPCA rehab centre will be taking all this adverse effect on his health into account !
I have been informed that the Scottish SPCA wildlife Vet at Fishcross has seen Popeye today. It does not appear to be an infection, but they are concerned that because of his age (14) and faeces colour it may be a Liver problem. They have taken blood samples which will be sent away to be analysed to see if they can determine what ails him. Meanwhile he is eating and is comfortable, we can only hope that it is not a serious Liver problem !
Penny is obviously missing him and has been calling and looking for him, she is still keeping the family together and appears to be waiting for him to return.
POPEYE LATEST: I have been informed that Popeye is now eating on his own and allowed to enter and leave a pool as he pleases. He has a problem with one leg and this will be looked at by a bird Vet on Thursday. This was supposed to happen today but some sort of delay has occurred, no more news until after Thursday.
Popeye has now been transferred to the Fishcross Scottish SPCA Wildlife rehab centre. He is likely to be there for one to two weeks depending on his progress. I am told he was head up and hissing at the Vet staff today, this is a good sign since he was so poorly yesterday. He is still weak and wobbly, but I'm more hopeful he will make a full recovery. I have made the SSPCA aware of his family status, his food and dietary requirements, and the need to get him back to his family as soon as possible. They will keep me informed of his progress.
Penny and the cygnets have been waiting and searching for Popeye. Penny occasionally calls out for him and goes up to the road bridge where I picked him up yesterday. Latest news today is that Popeye's temperature is falling and he is being taken to the new Scottish SPCA wildlife centre near Perth tomorrow. The facilities are all there for full veterinary treatment and care.
Hopefully he will make a full recovery and be back with his family soon.
Penny is capable of managing the family on her own, but her partner of 10 years will be sorely missed !
UPDATE : Have just received a Call from the Scottish SPCA at the Vets. X-ray shows nothing, but he is running a very high temperature - off the scale ! He has been put on a drip and high dose of antibiotics since this could be a bacterial infection. He will be kept for 48 hours at the vets to see how he responds.
Our resident Cob ( Popeye ) has been taken to the Vet in Inverness.
I noticed since Wednesday he has been increasingly lethargic, no appetite, and keeping himself away from the the rest of the Family.
This set alarm bells ringing and I decided he had to get medical attention. I managed to wade under the road bridge and catch him with some difficulty on the slippery stones, he was quite weak.
With the help of Morag our Trust secretary, we took him home to await Scottish SPCA transport to the Vets in Inverness.
Before he went, I checked his exterior and inside his mouth and upper throat for possible injury or fish hooks, but could see nothing.
I have asked for an x-ray to check for lead poisoning, and also Botulism or any other bacterial infection.
He was in good health up until last Tuesday night, so I hope they can find out the problem and treat it right away. He is not a happy boy and very weak, although he is heavy enough to fight illness. Penny will be looking and calling for him, although she knows he is ill and been keeping himself away from the cygnets.
Searching through my computer photo archives, I came across photos of Popeye and Penny the 1st - the previous Nairn Swans and cygnets.
I had just taken up digital photography,
the years were 2005 -2006 and those summers were pretty warm and pleasant.
Year 2006 was the last successful breeding year for them before the cob was killed in 2007.
I was gutted by that event, it was the end of a beautiful friendship with these magnificent birds.
Their departure was not in vain and resulted in the creation of a permanent haven for our river swans and ducks.
