Puffin found on a country lane in County Durham is rescued and released by the RSPCA
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Animal rescue officer Shane Lynn went out to the Sherburn area of County Durham on Monday morning (April 26) after the RSPCA received a report of a little bird alone running around under a bush on a quiet country lane.
A member of the public had caught the bird, which turned out to be a puffin, on Sunday, April 25 and put him in a box to be kept safe.
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Hide AdPuffins tend to to spend the winter at sea before coming to the UK’s shores in spring and summer to breed, however they rarely come inland.
He said: “We were contacted by a member of the public on Sunday evening after he’d found a tiny puffin wandering along a country lane, miles from the coast.
“He kindly caught the little bird, popped him in a box to keep him safe and took him home.
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Hide Ad“It seems as though the puffin got lost and ended up landing inland, around three miles from the coast, and couldn’t then get airborne again.”
Shane also revealed a vet check up showed that the puffin was uninjured so it was taken to the Headland in Hartlepool to be released.
He added: “I was so excited when the call came in as I’ve never been out to a puffin before. But I was also worried about the little chap as I knew he shouldn’t be that far inland.
“Thankfully, he wasn’t injured and we believe he simply got confused and ended up landing in the wrong spot. I took him to a vet for a check-up and contacted one of our wildlife centres for advice before feeding him and taking him to Headland at Hartlepool to release.
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Hide Ad“He hopped down onto the sand and then flew off across the sea and into the distance. It was breathtaking to watch; there really is no better feeling than returning a wild animal back into the wild where they belong.”