Flock with Helen - Corvid Specialist and Rehabber Support

The worst case scenarios, is it just me?

Our disabled & unreleasable flock make our hearts melt 💖

{Of course it's always hands off with our releasable flock}.

They are so special and have such amazing connections to their human and flock family.

Our beautiful Peck was recently unwell: a reminder never to take things for granted.

I must admit, many times a day I find myself thinking up the worst case scenarios?

Is it just me?

🖤🖤🖤

But there's being worried and then there's more...

I have OCD.

I was diagnosed as a teenager. Whilst it felt for many years it controlled my life, there are advantages.

I'm extra clean.

I check locks more often than I should.

I have a strict routine and structure.

However it gives me extra worry and when a bird becomes unwell I blame myself:

Did I forget to wash my hands?
Was the wet food out too long?
Why didn't I do things differently?

In life you CAN'T control everything.

We lose birds, it's the nature of our work. There's the what ifs the buts.

But you are doing your best.

And for the mistakes or miss-takes they will happen. Use them as a learning experience. What would you so differently next time?

'Why fly solo when we can flock together'

These past 3 days have been so challenging, it's easy to blame yourself 😢

This is your important reminder: please be KIND to yourself.

I've discussed this on my personal timeline, but rescue is not rainbows and lollipops.

The beautiful photos of aviaries and birds.

But there is another side, one that you are likely to be familiar with 💔

Losing birds.

Countless hours cleaning.

Exhaustion.

Battling to save lives.

🖤🖤🖤

I'm going to be honest with you...

These past 3 days have been probably the most challenging I've experienced. A few younger birds became weak.

Luckily we acted quick.

But as you know, quarantining birds, extra observations and cleaning takes up extra time.

3 hours today I spent cleaning just one aviary. Then scrubbing the bowls. Then the washing of the sheets.

The hot weather has made it even more challenging, meat and other wet food goes off quickly. More flies. More risk of bacteria.

Some birds don't transition well into a larger space: something we really need to consider for next year.

We've moved birds around.

We've worked long hours.

But as above this will be familiar to so many of you.

One moment you are on cloud nine. Then suddenly you are battling to keep a bird alive.

So please go easy on yourselves.

I've learnt not to be so hard on myself. But it's hard, as I feel guilty I can't save every bird.

I must remember many come to us in such a bad way, we give them a chance 💖

It's the 'uncertainty' the unknown that can make it the most challenging

Mortality rates are often high in rescue centres: especially if your intake is higher or you help more critical birds.

When a bird comes in you don't want to let it down, you don't want to be a failure.

However sometimes we need to accept that we can't save them all.

But for the ones you save: celebrate their success stories, document their journey. It really helps keep you positive and share with others that there is hope 💖

"You'll always be a winner for Russell"

Something that needs to be talked about more: our support systems 🖤

I simply wouldn't be able to do the work I do without my Husband Tristan. Without all the incredible referrals and connections.

As a Rehabber it can be quite lonely.

Make sure you have someone to turn to, especially when times are tough.

Here's us at the awards night, no we didn't win, but Tristan said you'll always be a winner for Russell.

We love our pigeon friends 💖

Happy Pigeon Appreciation Day! 🎉🎉🎉

A bird that's so often misunderstood and branded as a vermin 😪

We love our pigeon friends, who whilst maybe seem like the underdogs are the unsung heroes of the bird world.

One of our missions is to spread joy and love about these intelligent, beautiful and sassy birds.

To give you a glimpse into our lives living with our unreleasable flock.

They deserve all the respect in the world. They deserve to live in peace, fear free.

Helen, Tristan and Russell

Jackdaws always look so angry 😆

However as they grow older we call them the clowns of the corvid world.

We have a successful release site here, and ones we've previously released sometimes visit the garden or hang out on the roof tops.

Remember if you find a young jackdaw seek help from a rescue. They do tame pretty easily making life in the wild unsafe if they trust humans.

We all have a 'reason' my reason is Russell 🖤

Happy Heavenly Gotcha Day, it would have been 10 years today.

It started with one old crate I borrowed from the vets, a quick perch I put up in my room: then £1000 later we'd built him his own palace. 8 months later he had friends.

10 years later, he's gone for not forgotten: we've come far from the small rescue with one bird, two have two sites and helping nearly 50 birds this Spring! 🐦‍⬛🙌😴

We've learnt alot, and continue to learn and grow.

From a little black rook, to something incredible. Because of Russell I can now help others in a similar position.

Never, ever forget the reason you started, who or what inspired you.

They wouldn't want you to give up 🙏

Everytime I'm struggling, had a bad day or a challenging Spring I think Russell.

That parpy smile.

The bed, bed Fernando.

His trick with the yellow card.

Grief is a terrible thing to go through, but they never really leave your side.

PARP!

Running and Flying together 💖

I always dreamt about flying, often I think I've come back as a bird!

In my spare time I don't fly but I run to help support our sanctuary birds.

Sadly due to ongoing pain issues I can't run, but hoping to get back into it later this year 🙏

Here's a local article I featured in: doing all the capital city marathons over the next 20 years 👀

Hopefully I'll be running again soon!

Animal Welfare Act 2006 - why it's important to birds in our care or as part of our Flock Family 💖

In preparation for my examinations in July I'll be sharing some really important topics and legislation that I'll be assessed on.

I think it's important we keep refreshed on our knowledge and have documentation/records especially for our birds we have in sanctuary.

You can use this framework to access your birds.

🤓 What is the Animal Welfare Act 2006?

It is the primary legislation governing the welfare of most animals in England and Wales. Any vertebrate animal kept in human captivity.

It legally requires animal keepers/guardians to take reasonable steps to ensure the physical and mental well-being of their animals.

Animals excluded are animals under the scientific procedures act 1986 (they have their own legislation). Regarding Invertebrates (some are covered by the animal welfare sentence act 2022).

🤓 5 freedoms NOW the 5 needs

This Act created the framework of the 5 freedoms which is the now the 5 needs, this shift provides clearer, measurable standards.

There is also the domains model created in 1994 evaluating the physical and mental needs recognising animals are sentient beings.

While not part of the current law, it is widely used by progressive animal welfare organisations to promote positive well-being.

I hope this information helps 🙏