Lost baby owl rescued and returned to nest by Hastings 'heroes' and RSPCA

A tiny owl found cold and alone on the ground near Hastings in East Sussex has been rescued with the help of a bird-loving businessman, a tree surgeon and the RSPCA.

The owlet was discovered by local business owner Chris in the woodland grounds of his premises in Pett, near Hastings.

A keen observer of the local wildlife on his patch, Chris was very concerned for the vulnerable young bird, so he took her to the RSPCA Mallydams Wood Wildlife Centre.

RSPCA Mallydams wildlife assistant Ash Peters said:  “Worryingly, this poor little owlet - still a tiny ball of fluff - was very cold, quiet and unreactive.  

“Our first task was to check her over. Luckily, she had no injuries and didn’t appear to be sick, so we got some fluids into her and fed her with chopped-up meat. We then popped her in an incubator to warm up overnight.”

The next step for the RSPCA staff was to work out how to reintroduce the little bird back to her nest.

With detailed knowledge about about the local wildlife on his land, Chris was sure the tawny owlet’s nest was close to where he had found the bird.

He also knew that the parents were around, as they had swooped on him when he rescued the young bird - and he was confident he could pinpoint which hole in which specific tree the owl’s nest was.

But there was a major problem: the hollow was 30 feet up, so would be extremely difficult to access.

In consultation with the RSPCA’s local inspectorate, a cunning plan was hatched.

RSPCA Mallydams staff put out a plea on Facebook for any tree surgeons who might be able to help - and they were in luck.

Within a very short time, they heard from kind-hearted Andy, from Hastings and Bexhill-based ‘APS Tree Surgery & Fencing’ who was more than up for helping to return the little owl to her nest.

Just 24 hours after the little bird was brought into Mallydams, she was safely checked over and on her way back to her home in the wild.  

Ash said: “After double-checking that they had the right hole in the right tree, the tree surgeon, a skilled climber, scaled the tree, ascending into the higher branches using ropes."  

Once he was in position, the owlet was put in a special bag, and with the help of a pulley, was lifted up the tree until she reached the patiently-waiting tree surgeon.

Ash continued: "Having been advised on how to handle the little bird by us, he gently removed the owlet from her travel bag and placed her just in the entrance to the nest. She soon jumped down into the nest inside the hollow of the tree and didn’t reappear.

“It was such a happy moment for all of us. We are confident that the owlet has settled back into the nest with her parents.

"There is nothing better than successfully returning a wild animal to the wild where they belong.  

“It was the perfect rescue but without the help of some local heroes, the outcome could have been very different.

"Our huge thanks go to Chris, who found the owlet. Without his substantial knowledge of the local wildlife, it would have been difficult to return the little bird to her nest.

"We’d also like to give a special shout out to Andy and the heroic APS Tree Surgeon & Fencing team. We really couldn’t have done it without their amazing skills.”

The rescue comes at a time when the RSPCA is recruiting Wildlife Friends to help wild animals in their local communities.

From litter picks to building nest boxes, planning wildlife-friendly plants, or even sharing our wildlife advice online, volunteers are able to help in a range of different ways.

For advice on what to do if you have concerns about a wild animal, please visit the RSPCA’s website.

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