Discovery of seabird in Hereford came as a 'big surprise', says vet

A seabird which had been found in Herefordshire, miles away from where they are usually seen, has been successfully returned to the wild.

One Manx shearwater was discovered in Hereford and passed over to the Vets for Pets Hereford team to assess.

Practice owner at the vets, Elliot Goodwin, said the bird is usually found on the Pembrokeshire coast, over 100 miles from where they're based.

He said they had carried out the initial checks and deemed it fit to go back, with the release taking place yesterday (15 September).

"What we suspect is that this was a juvenile bird which had probably just left its nest on its first flight, it took a wrong turn, and with the help of sort of a south-westerly breeze, got carried further and further inland until it probably just ran out of steam, got tired out, and ended up in Bobblestock," he said.

"Hats off to the member of the public who brought it in as well who found it, took care of it overnight, and then brought it into practice.

"That was exactly the right thing to do, and without people like them we wouldn't be able to do the care for wildlife that we do."

It isn't the first time a seabird has been seen in the county recently either, last year in June saw a puffin, which was named Oona, brought into the vets.

Mr Goodwin said that one itself was a real shock, and this one created a similar reaction.

"It was just a big surprise for the whole team," he said.

"We get all sorts of wildlife brought in and sometimes quite unusual patients, but you don't expect to see this sort of marine seabird this far inland.

"So for it to happen last year with the puffin, and then we've had this Manx shearwater, which can happen slightly more regularly than puffins but is still really rare, it's another one of those moments when that bird comes in and you don't quite believe it."

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