As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Monday, 5 January 2015

RSPB Mull Officer ‘heartbroken’ to have lost ‘medical miracle’ sea eagle Kellan


A young sea eagle, Kellan, released in Mull four years ago,by RSPB Scotland after major injuries has just been found dead. Kellan, who had been hailed as a ‘medical miracle’ by wildlife experts and was known to followers around the world, has been found dead on the Isle of Mull. His remains were discovered by chance by a hill walker on Mull over the Christmas holidays.

Kellan was hatched at a nest on the island of Mull – known to millions of Springwatch viewers as Eagle Island – in 2010. He took his first flight during that summer. But within a few weeks he was found on the ground, badly injured, by a local farmer, was rescued by the RSPB and later taken into long term care by the Scottish SPCA.

After X-rays, Kellan was found to have a badly broken wing and a broken leg, injuries possibly sustained during a misjudged landing following his first flights. He was also seriously underweight and malnourished having been unable to hunt and feed.

He underwent major operations to correct the injuries to his wing and was overseen by specialist vets who usually work on exotic animals at Edinburgh Zoo and overseas. He was in captivity at the SSPCA Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital for three months – looked after personally by Colin Seddon – before being considered fit and healthy for release back into the wild.

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