Aloha Alloa

After a nice warm night in a heated box at 85F the young Gulliver was ready for breakfast ! It's eyes were open and although still unsteady on it's feet, it had a go at eating some chick starter that I prepared. It kept aiming at my pink fingers, since this is what they do to their Mothers red spot on their beak in order to get them to open up and deliver the regurgitated food ! I had no choice but to cover all my fingers in messy chick starter food, so he would get fed regardless ! The heated box had given him new life and a good chance of survival. Simon from the Scottish SPCA arrived this afternoon and was pleased to see the gull chick in such good form, he will now go to their new care centre in Alloa where they have excellent facilities for the care of wildlife. Gulliver pushed himself onto his back several times but managed to right himself again, enclosed pics and video clip. With the late cold spring it appears the seagulls are nesting later this year. Aloha Alloa Gulliver !

Gull-ivers Travels

Was presented with a newly hatched young Gull chick this afternoon. It was picked up by a young man living behind the Al Raj Restaurant , he found it in the gutter pipe above his flat then took it down to the riverside !!

I explained to him that it would die and he must take it back and put it where he found it. When I checked later it was laying on the concrete steps having fallen out of the guttering. I looked around the surrounding buildings but no nests to be seen or adult seagulls either. It may have been snatched by a predator and dropped on the sloping roof when challenged, It seems the only explanation since there were no flat nest areas of any kind in the vicinity. I am pretty sure it has been hatched within the last 24 hours. I have it in a heated box meanwhile, The Scottish SPCA will pick it up in the morning. Anyone finding sick or injured animals or birds should contact the Scottish SPCA locally on 01463 231191. Young birds that have fallen from the nest should be put back if possible, or otherwise left alone since the parents usually care for them.