A lost puffin is being assessed for release after being blown 110 miles inland from the coast of Pembrokeshire.
A local found the bird in her Hereford garden and quickly took her to Vets for Pets, where local practice manager Elliot Goodwin nursed her back to health. She was named Oona after the main character in the animated children’s TV programme Puffin Rock.
She was originally due to be released on Wednesday, but the vets had concerns over the waterproofing of her feathers.
Mr Goodwin drove Oona to RSPCA West Hatch Wildlife Centre on Wednesday for specialist assessment and rehab accommodation.
“It’s really important that as a seabird going back to the wild, her feathers are in really good condition,” Mr Goodwin said.
RSPCA West Hatch Wildlife Centre said: “Huge thank you to the whole team at ‘Vets for Pets Hereford’ for your care towards this beautiful bird! An amazing example of what vets and local wildlife organisations can achieve.”
Vets for Pets staff were initially sceptical that Oona was actually a puffin, since the seabirds rarely venture inland and Hereford is about 110 miles from their nearest coastal nesting area.
But they quickly realised they were indeed treating a puffin, thought to have been blown off from a nest on Skomer or Skokholm islands off the Welsh coast.
Oona was underweight and weak when she arrived, but has thrived since staff began feeding her a special formula from animal nutritionist Becky Bridges, and eventually fish.
“We were surprised, to say the least. Puffins never venture this far inland unless they’re disoriented or have been blown off course. It’s likely she was returning to her nesting site in west Wales and lost her way,” Mr Goodwin told The Times.
Puffins typically fly and nest in small groups, so being alone is often a sign they need urgent veterinary care.
