Milton Keynes Wildlife Network

02/09/2026

27/08/2026

25/08/2026

A lovely little success story from the Wildlife Network this morning.

This young pigeon came into care as a juvenile, unable to self-feed, and spent the last few weeks learning the skills needed to become independent.

This morning, that hard work paid off. Fully self-feeding and ready to go, the pigeon was released to a local flock where it can continue to be monitored daily.

It was accepted by the flock almost immediately and even received a rather enthusiastic serenade from a handsome grey pigeon, so it seems introductions went well!

Another rehabilitated bird back where it belongs, and another happy success for the Milton Keynes Wildlife Network.

08/08/2026

A tiny rescue with a very happy ending

Today, Milton Keynes Wildlife Network volunteers received a call for help from a very worried Woburn Sands resident. A newly fledged bird, believed to be a house martin, had somehow managed to become trapped between the overlapping panes of an upstairs window. The rest of the family had already left the nest and were gathered in a large tree opposite the flat, while this tiny fledgling was desperately fluttering between the glass, unable to escape.

Other organisations had been unable to help, and when we realised we were only around 15 minutes away, we decided we had to at least try. We weren’t particularly hopeful. The bird was trapped at first-floor level, we had no ladder, and from the information we had been given, there was no obvious way of reaching it safely. But leaving it there wasn’t an option. Without help, it simply wasn’t going to get itself free.

Once we arrived and could properly assess the situation, it became clear that the nets and other equipment we’d brought weren’t going to help us. So we had to work with the one thing we did have: the windows themselves.

Very slowly and carefully, we pushed the upper window upwards, using its movement to gently raise the fledgling until it reached a point where the gap became small enough for us to reach it. With a couple of fingers carefully eased into the remaining space, we were finally able to prise the tiny bird free.

And there it was, sitting safely on a volunteer’s hand.

We were fully prepared for the possibility that it might need to go into wildlife rehabilitation, and the resident had already offered to transport it if necessary. But once we could properly examine the fledgling, there was nothing obviously wrong with it. Its feathers were beautifully formed, there were no visible injuries and it appeared bright and alert. It hadn’t needed rescuing from its family. It had simply got itself very, very stuck.

For a few seconds it sat quietly on a hand, looking around and apparently deciding what to do next. Then, without warning, it was gone. It flew beautifully and headed straight across to the tree where the resident had seen the rest of its family waiting.

We left the flat feeling pretty pleased with ourselves and stood outside for a few minutes, watching the tree and having a quick debrief. Then we heard them.

Chattering.

We both looked up just as the whole little family flew out of the tree and straight over our heads. Mum, dad and both fledglings, together, chattering away as they disappeared into the distance.

And yes, there were tears.

Wildlife rescue isn’t always about taking animals into care. Sometimes the best possible outcome is simply solving the problem in front of you, stepping away, and watching a wild animal go straight back to exactly where it belongs.

Today, four little birds flew away together because one Woburn Sands resident cared enough to keep asking for help, and because Milton Keynes Wildlife Network volunteers were close enough to say, “We’ll come and try.”

Sometimes, trying is all it takes.

04/08/2026

PLEASE STOP PICKING UP HEALTHY FLEDGLINGS.

We know people mean well. You see a young bird sitting alone, you worry that something has happened to its parents, and your instinct is to pick it up and get it somewhere safe.

But please, before you do anything, stop and watch.

Wildlife rescues across the country, including here in Milton Keynes, are currently inundated with fledglings that should never have been taken into care. These aren’t abandoned babies. They aren’t orphans. They’re healthy young birds going through a completely normal stage of growing up.

When a fledgling leaves the nest, it doesn’t suddenly become independent. Its parents continue to find it, feed it, protect it and teach it how to survive. It is completely normal for a fledgling to sit quietly on the ground, under a bush, on a low branch or somewhere else that looks horribly vulnerable to us. Its parents may be out finding food, or they may actually be nearby waiting for you to leave before they come back.

Nine times out of ten, the best thing you can do is absolutely nothing.

Move away. Give the parents space. Watch from a sensible distance. If the bird is bright, alert, responsive, moving normally and looks generally healthy, please leave it with its family.

And please remember what those parents have already done. They have built a nest, laid and incubated eggs, protected their babies and spent weeks finding enough food to keep them alive. They have got their youngsters all the way to the point of leaving the nest and learning how to become independent.

Then somebody sees that baby sitting alone for ten minutes, assumes it has been abandoned and takes it away.

However good the intention, that fledgling has effectively been kidnapped from its parents.

If it’s still sitting in exactly the same place an hour later and you’re concerned, ask a wildlife rescue for advice before picking it up. Obviously, if it is visibly injured or unwell, that’s different. A bird that is bleeding, unable to stand, limp, unresponsive, persistently fluffed up, struggling to breathe, gaping with its beak open, holding its wings abnormally, extremely thin, covered in flies or fly eggs, has sticky or swollen eyes, or has been caught by a cat or dog needs help. So does a bird in immediate danger that cannot simply be moved a very short distance to safety.

But being young and being alone are not, by themselves, emergencies.

Wildlife rescues are already stretched dealing with animals that genuinely need intervention. Every healthy fledgling unnecessarily brought into care takes time, space and resources that could be used for an injured, sick or genuinely orphaned animal. More importantly, that healthy youngster has lost the parents who were doing exactly what nature intended them to do.

There is, however, another problem facing our wildlife at the moment that really does need our help.

We have had such a long period of sustained dry weather that natural water sources are disappearing. Puddles are gone, small pools and ditches are drying out and the ground is incredibly dry. Wildlife that would normally be able to find water relatively easily is having to work much harder for it.

We are seeing young birds coming into care that should be big, bouncy, healthy babies but are instead extremely thin and dehydrated. And this is somewhere every single one of us can make a difference.

Please put water out.

You don’t need anything fancy. A couple of large bowls, plant saucers, shallow trays or similar containers can provide drinking and bathing water for birds and drinking water for hedgehogs, foxes and other wildlife. Keep them topped up, particularly during prolonged dry weather, and put them somewhere animals can access them safely.

But please keep them clean. Lots of different animals using the same water means bacteria and disease can spread very easily. Empty the containers, clean them properly, rinse them and refill them with fresh water regularly. Providing water is incredibly helpful. Providing filthy water isn’t.

So please help wildlife this summer, but help it in the right way.

Put out fresh water. Keep it clean. Create shade. Leave wild areas in your garden where you can. Look out for animals that are genuinely struggling. And if you’re worried about a fledgling, ask for advice before you pick it up.

Sometimes wildlife rescue means stepping in. Sometimes it means knowing when to step back.

Please share this. The more people who understand normal fledgling behaviour, the more babies we can leave exactly where they belong: with their parents.