Warwickshire Avon - Planes, Trains and Automobiles (Sad Update)

With 13 species down on the 2019 bloggers challenge I'm not at the top of the table, well apart from the river leaderboard where I've got over that 1000 point barrier. George Burton is leading and I can see him being rather difficult to catch, not only does he fish still, canal and running waters he gets out a fair bit as well.

The Grayling is sorted with a trip planned in December but I still want to catch a river carp and also a roach bream hybrid to keep my end up so to speak.

Got to keep the momentum going haven't I, now I've caught carp to a gnats nadger over 20lb without targeting them in anger and that capture was because it was a known area where the mud sifters patrol.

This mornings session was to a specific peg where a couple of carp had come out in a recent match, it's a relatively deep area and with the river up and motoring downstream you can still fish here without issue.

A dawn start with a bed of bait put down where I'd fish over with a couple of baits, one a 18mm boilie and the other a chunk of spam.

What self respecting carp doesn't like spam !!!

Now as I hotfooted to the swim my I stumbled upon something me as an angler doesn't want to see....

....an injured kingfisher

It was visibly struggling in the thick grass and its left wing looked like it wasn't functioning correctly, it looked distressed when I went near it so I decided to walk on by and when I returned after the session I'd retrace my steps and see if it was still there.

It's only when you get close to a kingfisher you realise just how stunning they are to look at.

What I was amazed at too and didn't know they did it, they can almost tuned their heads through 360 degrees, visually they look like their head is detached from their body, a really odd visual spectacle. I move it away from view because it wouldn't take long for a bird of prey notice the predicament it was in.

So I baited up, put a load of bait down and unlike me sat out to see if a carp was milling around to hopefully trump the fact that I'd ignored the Barbel and Chub on the way.

But in the back of my mind there were pressing matters and ones I needed to attend to.

So after a three or so biteless hours on a nice looking river I retraced my steps and yeap the kingfisher was still there.

Now we planned to see my Mum and Dad later in the day and on route we'd go past Heronfield Small Breeds Farm and Animal Rescue Centre in Knowle which had been their donkeys years.

They even had a Tiger there many moons ago when the 80's was all about exotic pets. So my bait was transferred to my rucksack and I retrieved the injured bird and placed it safely in my bait storage bag.

It was a sitting duck excuse the pun so couldn't just walk on by and ignore the fact this bird needed help.

As soon as I got back home I put it in a tissue lined box to hopefully reduce the stress he was in. It was very well behaved to be fair and it almost seemed he wanted people to look, but then why wouldn't he, what a magnificent creature.

After arriving at Heronfield which could be mistaken for Steptoes Yard at first glance but ignore first impressions, it's a thankless task what these people do. Countless animals, big or small, nursed if possible back to full health and returned to the wild or rehoused to a family that want a pet, not one where the novelty has worn off.

A problem though, on inspection of the bird its right wing looked fully functional as it sprang back pretty quickly but its left wing was lame as anything. The owner couldn't feel any breaks on the functioning wing so it could be ligament damage or even paralysis. Another issue was that they couldn't really take it in, as it needs more specialist care, fish based syringe feeding for example.

So after some advice and where would be best for it now after having a quick whistle stop at my parents we back on the road again. Me and Sam would take over this time and we'd rope in the Jimny to get cross country and take it to more specialist care. Almost a 80 round trip after first heading out but needs must in these situations, two fingers up to the XR misguided, you really going to tell me I'm burning too much carbon.

So after returning home and switching cars with Sam keeping the bird from any harm we were back on the road and headed over to Vale Wildlife Hospital & Rehabilitation Centre near Tewksbury. And wow, what a place it is. Take a look at the link above to see what kind of work they do and the animals they take in.

So that's it for now, we did our best and now it's in the hands of those that know what they are doing. Fingers crossed that it's still with us in the morning, it's certainly had an ordeal I just hope we can get it back to where it belongs, back to the stretch of river where I see it bombing close to the water up and down, up and down, or one particular peg, perched nicely hunting minnows.

So fingers and toes crossed please, I think it needs all the help it can get, watch this space !!

Update 20/10/2019

After receiving pain relief overnight it was X-rayed in the morning where it was discovered that the break was severe and exactly where you wouldn't want a break so sadly I'm sorry to say there is one less kingfisher in the world. As Sam says he is now in bird heaven, the best place for it. A glancing blow from a branch or injured when diving in to the water, who knows but it was pretty severe trauma. I've donated to Vale Wildlife Hospital, they were brilliant.