A Snowy Robin Rescue

by Mary Kelly

  Hannah and Evan peered inside. They saw a row of incubators and some more open wire cages with a couple of pigeons crouching down on the floor of their cage. Each animal had a little piece of paper clipped to the front of the cage, saying what they were and why they had come in. Then Evan spotted a cage at the back with a pillowcase over the top.

  “What’s that for?” he asked quietly.

  “That’s for a blackbird that’s just come in,” said Karen. “He was quite traumatized, so we’ve covered his cage to block out some of the light and noise. Now,” she added, “I’ll show you to the next room and you’ll get to see your robin at last.”

  Evan could feel his heart beat faster with excitement as Karen stopped outside another door, with a sign on it that read “Bird holding room”.

  “In you go,” she said, holding open the door for them.

  Evan and Hannah stepped inside to see lots of little aviaries, each one with green twigs strung up and birds perched inside. They passed two more pigeons and a blue tit, then Evan caught sight of a robin in a cage. The breath caught in his throat as he took in the familiar beady eyes, the red breast with the little white patch beneath… “Is that our robin?” he asked in a rush. “Is it really him?”

  “It really is,” said Karen.

  “I can’t believe it!” cried Evan. He stepped towards it. “Look, he’s hopping around,” he said. “Isn’t it amazing, Hannah?”

  Hannah shook her head, her eyes wide with wonder. “He’s like a different bird,” she said in a hushed voice.

  The robin looked cheeky now, not scared. He regarded them with his bright black eyes, his head cocked slightly to one side.

  “Can he fly?” asked Hannah.

  “Yes, he can fly. He’s lost a few tail feathers, but luckily that doesn’t seem to have affected his flight,” Karen replied. “That’s why we’ve moved him to this cage – so there’s more room for him to flit about. We’ve added the leaves, and a little perch, to make him feel more at home.”

  For a moment, they didn’t say anything. They just stared and stared at the little robin, thinking how lucky they were to be able to see him again.

  “Chirpy little fellow, isn’t he?” said Dad, breaking the silence.

  Hannah laughed. “He is now,” she said. “Oh!” she added, peering closer. “I can see where some of his tail feathers are still missing.”

  “You’re right,” said Karen, “but the good news is that they’ll grow back.”

  “How long will that take?” asked Evan.

  “A while,” admitted Karen. “Not until his moult, in midsummer, which is when all the feathers are replaced. But the really important thing is that he can still fly.”

  “I can’t believe how much he’s changed,” said Hannah, unable to take her eyes off the robin. “It was so horrible the way he was before – not able to move. And now I’ll be able to remember him like this. All chirpy and hopping!”

  Then Evan turned and looked at Karen. He had a question to ask and he had to know the answer. “So, will you be able to release him back into the wild?”

  “We will,” said Karen. “Very soon.”

  Evan and Hannah grinned at each other.

  “He’ll spend another day in this room, and then we’ll move him to one of the outside aviaries, so he can have more room to fly around and acclimatize to the chillier temperature.”

  “That’s the best news ever,” said Evan.

  Dad smiled at him and squeezed his shoulder. “Thanks so much for showing us the robin,” he said to Karen. “The kids have been really worried about him. I think you just about made their Christmas.”

  “Definitely,” said Hannah, grinning.

  “What other animals have you got here?” asked Dad.

  While Karen chatted about the other animals they were looking after, Evan and Hannah couldn’t tear their eyes away from the robin. It was amazing seeing him this close up. Before, they had only just been able to glimpse him in the light from the street lamp.

  “Look,” said Evan. “He’s got a funny toe on each foot that points backwards.”

  “Most birds have those,” giggled Hannah. “I think it helps them grip on to their perches. And look,” she carried on, “he’s not just brown all over, is he? I can see lovely blue-grey feathers around his breast.”

  “Oh, yes,” said Evan. “And have you noticed the way he can’t stop moving?”

  They laughed as he hopped over to his food bowl and began pecking away at the seeds, spreading them everywhere.

  “He’s fast when he moves, isn’t he?” Evan pointed out. “And I can see him breathing – the way his little chest keeps puffing in and out.”

  “Yes, he’s very active now,” said Karen, overhearing their conversation. “It was a really good sign that he never lost his appetite.”

  “What do you feed him?” asked Evan.

  “Mini mealworms and something called prosecto, which is mashed up insects. We give him a mineral supplement, too. And of course he’s got a little water bowl in there as well. We won’t release him until we think he’s ready to find his own food, but that’ll be any day now.”

  “So,” Karen went on, “would you like to come and see the other animals?”

  Evan and Hannah both nodded, but Evan couldn’t help feeling sad to be going so soon.

  “Goodbye, little robin,” whispered Hannah, still lingering by his cage. He looked straight at them. “Do you think he remembers us?” she said.

  “I hope so,” said Evan. “I wish we didn’t have to leave him though. I wish this wasn’t goodbye.”

  Karen seemed to notice their reluctance. “Well,” she said, after a moment’s pause, “it does seem a shame you won’t get to see the last stage of this little robin’s journey…”

  Evan and Hannah both waited, holding their breath.

  “How would you feel about being there when he’s released?” Karen finally said.

  “For real?” gasped Evan.

  “Really, really?” asked Hannah.

  Karen laughed. “I’m pretty sure we can arrange it,” she said. “We’ll be doing it close to your house, so it shouldn’t be that hard to organize. And it would be a lovely thing for you to see.”

  “That would be the best thing ever,” said Evan.

  Hannah felt like leaping up and down on the spot, and only just managed to stop herself, realizing it might surprise all the animals. “Thank you! Thank you!” she said.

  “Well, we’ve got you to thank for calling us about the robin,” said Karen. “Come on, now. I’ve got even more animal treats in store for you.”

  After that, they saw a fox who had been found cowering on a doorstep, a whole flock of swans paddling about in an outdoor pool, a hedgehog curled up on a pile of hay and two pet rabbits.

  “We don’t usually have pets here,” Karen explained. “These two were found hopping down a high street! We’re just looking after them until they can go to an animal centre for rehoming.”

  “I wish I could take them home,” said Hannah, as one rose up on its back legs, twitching its nose inquisitively.

  She looked pleadingly at Evan’s dad. “Don’t give me that big-eyed look,” he said. “I’m not walking out of here with a couple of rabbits. I don’t think your parents would be too happy about that.”

  “It could be my birthday present?” said Hannah, half-teasing. “I’m sure Mum and Dad wouldn’t mind.”

  “You’ll have to ask them!” said Evan’s dad, chuckling. Then he turned to Karen. “You’d better warn me if there are any more cuddly animals coming up.”

  “Well, I’ve saved the best for last,” said Karen. “Although you definitely won’t be able to take these home with you…”

  She led them to another outdoor pen, with high-walled sides mounted with wire. Hannah and Evan peered over. “W
ow!” gasped Evan. “Are those really…”

  “Yes,” laughed Karen. “They’re really seals. We often get them this time of year. There’s three of them – young seals that have been washed ashore by the winter storms. They end up here if they’ve been found injured or underweight. We feed them up and look after them before returning them to the sea.”

  Evan couldn’t take his eyes off them. They looked almost human, their sleek heads bobbing above the water, their eyes huge and black. “What kind of seals are they?” he asked.

  “These are common seals,” said Karen. “Aren’t they amazing? They can swim just a few hours after they’re born, usually around June or July. Sometimes we get grey seals, too. They’re the ones that look all white and fluffy when they’re born. They stay on land for the first month or so of their life, then take to sea once they’ve grown their waterproof, adult fur.”

  “They’re gorgeous,” whispered Hannah. “I could spend all day looking at them. Do you mind if I take some photos?”

  “Go right ahead,” said Karen.

  After that, they were allowed one last look at the robin, before it was finally time to go home.

  “I think I’ll remember this day for ever,” said Hannah sleepily, from the back of the car.

  “Me, too,” said Evan. “Our robin and a fox, hedgehogs and seal … even Christmas isn’t going to top that!”

  Evan and Hannah waited anxiously at the window for the RSPCA van to arrive. It had been three days since their visit to the RSPCA centre, and today was the day they were going to release the robin back into the wild. Evan wasn’t going to miss it for the world. Hannah had arrived just after breakfast, and they’d been waiting at the window ever since. Evan’s mum had taken Poppy to the shops to buy some last-minute extras for their Christmas lunch, while his dad waited at home with them. He’d already made lots of jokes about Hannah living here now.

  “The RSPCA said they’d be here sometime this morning,” Dad pointed out. “You could be waiting at the window for a long while. And the roads are still covered in snow, remember, so that might delay them.”

  “I know,” said Evan, who was almost hopping up and down with excitement. “But we can’t miss this. That would be terrible!”

  “I’m sure they’ll knock on our door first to let you know they’re here. Why don’t you come and sit down?”

  “But the moment I sit down, they’ll come,” Evan insisted.

  “Nonsense!” laughed Dad.

  Evan was just sitting down when Hannah cried out, “They’re coming! They’re coming! I think that’s their van pulling up now. Yes, it is! Can we go out and see them?”

  “Of course you can,” said Evan’s dad, as the van parked up outside their house. “But make sure you wrap up warmly first. It’s freezing outside.”

  Without another word, Hannah and Evan began throwing on their coats and stuffing their feet into their wellies as fast as they could. Then they rushed outside to greet the RSPCA officers, who were just climbing out of their van. Evan instantly recognized Courtney, who was wearing the same uniform as before. This time she had a man with her, with copper-coloured hair that reminded Hannah of the feathers on a robin’s breast. He waved to them as they approached.

  “Hi, Courtney,” said Evan shyly. “Do you remember us? Evan and Hannah?”

  “Of course I remember you two,” said Courtney. “And this is Greg,” she added, gesturing to the man beside her. “He’s going to be helping us with the robin release today. He’s one of the wildlife assistants at the RSPCA centre.”

  As Greg shook hands with them, Courtney went around to the back of the van to open up the doors. “How did you enjoy your trip around the RSPCA centre?” she asked.

  “It was brilliant,” said Evan. “We saw a fox and swans and seals. My favourite part was definitely seeing our robin again though.”

  “We’d been really worried about him,” added Hannah. “It was great to see him again. And to see him freed from that horrible glue trap.”

  “Well, he’s a fighter,” said Courtney. “We were really lucky that he didn’t lose any more feathers, and it looked like he was in good condition before he got trapped. But you two definitely helped save his life. If he’d been stuck in that trap any longer, it could easily have been a different story.”

  “I’m just glad we were there,” said Hannah. “It was so lucky. Actually, that’s what I’m going to call the robin – Lucky. What do you think, Evan?”

  “I was thinking more Senna or Hamilton,” joked Evan.

  “We’re not naming him after a racing driver,” said Hannah.

  “Well, I think Lucky is a perfect name for him,” said Courtney, laughing. “I’ll just get him out of the van now, and then we can get ready to release him.”

  As she spoke, Evan’s dad came out of the house and introduced himself to Courtney and Greg. “You can be very proud of these kids,” said Greg. “They did exactly the right thing.”

  “I am,” said Dad. “I also feel like I know everything there is to know about robins. These two haven’t stopped talking about him since they found him.”

  “Are you going to stay and watch him being released, Dad?” asked Evan.

  “No, I’ve got to go inside and finish off some work. Besides, this is your moment. You two have earned it.”

  He turned and started heading back towards the house. “And then you can come in and tell me all about it,” he called over his shoulder. “I’m looking forward to every single detail.”

  Greg chuckled. “It really does sound like you’ve been telling him a lot about robins.”

  “I expect it makes a change from racing cars,” said Hannah, giving Evan a nudge.

  Then they both fixed their attention on the back of the van, waiting for the moment Courtney would lift out the robin.

  “There he is!” said Evan, as Courtney turned, a carrier in her hand.

  “Is that him?” asked Hannah, rushing towards her as she carried it on to the pavement.

  Courtney nodded in reply, and Evan and Hannah peeked inside to see their little robin. He was just visible through the holes in the cardboard. Evan felt a tingle of excitement that they were going to watch this last part of the robin’s journey back to freedom.

  “I’m always surprised by how tiny he seems,” said Hannah.

  “Small but strong!” added Evan. “Where are you going to release him? Are you going to do it where we found him?”

  “Very nearby,” said Courtney. “We always try to release birds near to where we find them, unless there’s a very good reason not to. That way, everything will be familiar to him – all his landmarks and food spots and the territory he’s no doubt been defending. We’ve picked out a hedgerow, just in the field behind the street, which we thought would be the best place. The robin can use it for shelter during the winter, and he’ll be able to find lots of food there as well.”

  “Can we come, too?” asked Evan, as Greg and Courtney started heading towards the field.

  “Of course,” said Courtney. “It wouldn’t be right without you. Just make sure you stand back a bit when I release him, and make as little noise as possible.”

  They followed Courtney and Greg into the field. Hannah and Evan kept glancing at each other as they walked. They both knew this was the perfect end to the robin’s story, but it still felt strange to be saying goodbye to him.

  As soon as they reached the hedgerow, Courtney set down the bird carrier and looked around.

  “We’ll release him here,” she said, “as it’s so close to where we found him. And it’s ideal as it’s got lots of gardens nearby brimming with food.” Then she looked over at Evan and Hannah. “Would you like to take a last look at Lucky, before I release him?” she asked.

  “Yes, please,” said Hannah. “I actually feel quite sad now it’s time to say goodbye. I mean, I kno
w it’s the best thing for him,” she added quickly, “but it’s odd thinking we’ll never see him again.”

  “You never know,” said Greg. “I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he found his way into your garden, especially if you hang up a feeder, or spend time digging around in the soil.”

  “That’s true,” said Hannah, her face brightening.

  “We wouldn’t know it was him though, would we?” said Evan. “I’m not sure I’d be able to tell him apart from the other robins.”

  “Actually you would,” said Courtney. “We’ve put a little ring around his foot, so the RSPCA can track him. That way, if he ever gets into difficulties again, we’ll know who he is. So if you find a robin in your garden who’s been tagged, you can be pretty sure it’s Lucky.”

  She slowly began to open the top of the box and Evan and Hannah peered inside. “Oh!” gasped Hannah. “He’s so sweet.”

  Lucky’s two little feet were planted on a tea towel, and he was looking at them curiously with his beady black eyes. They looked shiny and bright, and he’d fluffed out all the feathers on his breast. The only things that showed what he’d been through were the ring around his foot and his tail, which was still missing a few feathers.

  “And Lucky can definitely fly, can’t he?” asked Evan.

  “He definitely can,” said Courtney. “We wouldn’t be releasing him if we didn’t know he was ready for it. He’s been flitting around his enclosure at the RSPCA centre and greedily gobbling up lots of insects and worms.”

  “Why are his feathers all fluffed up?” asked Hannah. “It makes him look just like a robin on a Christmas card.”

  Courtney smiled. “That’s to protect him from the cold,” she explained. “With his feathers fluffed up he can trap a layer of warmth between his feathers and his skin. That’s why robins are such hardy little birds. He’ll have no trouble keeping warm in all this snow.”