Ullapool fallen chicks transported 92 miles to rescue centre by ‘crucial network of amazing volunteers’
Getting injured, abandoned and sick wildlife from across the Highlands to the only licensed, all-species wildlife rescue centre in the area is being made easier by a growing network of caring drivers.
When Noel Hawkins of Ullapool's Shearwater Cruises was given three house martin nestling chicks whose nest had fallen, he was able to reach out to Cal Major, a vet and environmental advocate, for immediate help. However, the fallen youngsters still needed to be transported a total of 92 miles to Highland Wildlife in Brora.
Cal Major said: “The house martin nest fell off a wall at a local residents’ house in Lochside, who called it in to Noel Hawkins — who most people in the village know has lots of contacts for wildlife rescue and rehabilitation. Noel called me to take a look at them as I'm a vet with a special interest in wildlife, and I regularly help triage injured wildlife in the village.”
Cal then contacted Jane Wilson, who runs the centre from her five-acre home in Brora, to confirm the next steps they should take.
Cal said: “Jane is so full of knowledge specific to each bird species, and since these were juveniles we needed to make sure they were receiving the nutrition and hydration necessary to keep them alive until we could get them to her.”
After staying overnight with Cal, the birds were transported to the rescue centre in Brora by two other volunteers, Lesley Spenceley and Lisa Bonham, using a WhatsApp group for volunteer drivers to co-ordinate getting the animals in safe hands as quickly as possible.
Jane Wilson said: "Getting patients safely transported, to reach care quickly, is a lifesaver. Our primary goal is rearing and rehabilitation of native wild species to return them back to their Highland homes".
Since opening their doors in January 2023, the centre has helped hundreds of animals from ravens to rabbits, pipistrelle bats to puffins and everything in between.
Jane explained: "We cover the whole of the Highlands and Islands, so this crucial network of amazing volunteers is a lifeline. We are always in need of more willing volunteers, so that patients like these three house martin chicks have a chance to live.
“House martins rear their young in Scotland, and then leave at the end of summer to head to Africa. A diet of insects and crucial supplements whilst in care, along with suitable housing, ensures perfect feather condition and good bone strength before the long journey. As return nesters, they are site loyal, and with a serious decline in numbers in recent years, every chick reared and released, is a step in the right conservation direction.
“Some pairs will even rear a second brood of chicks in a good season and an available mud source is critical for natural nest building and repairs.”
To find out more about being a volunteer driver for Highland Wildlife Rescue, visit www.highlandwildliferescue.com/volunteer
