ON A WING AND PRAYER

When this year's fledglings are making their first ventures from the nest and preparing to become independent of the parent birds, there may be occasions when people concerned for their welfare are faced with a dilemma.

Should they give help to a youngster who appears to be abandoned? The answer is, in most cases, no, says Peggy Linfield, who at her home in Carterton has reared many birds who have had a genuine need of human intervention.

For the bird's best welfare it is best if such intervention can be withheld, she says. The reason is that the young bird is unlikely to have been left by its parents to fend for itself they are probably not far away, watching over it, and will continue to provide it with food. Once the human onlooker has gone, they can return to their adventuring offspring. Only if in immediate danger should it be moved.

Peggy's interest in birds goes back over many ears, not only during the 25 years which she and her husband Bill have spent in rural West Oxfordshire, but also to the earlier time when they were living in the centre of London, where she was a housekeeper to a family in Belgrave Square.

There her rescued charges were not only such local inhabitants as a mallard duckling from the Serpentine which had become separated from its mother and the rest of her brood, but also a jackdaw, a young jay and even a kestrel.

Returning all creatures to the wild as quickly as possible is always her aim and to their own home territory wherever possible.

Birds kept for a while can, however, become used to being dependent on their human carers for food. So when this could cause difficulties for their future welfare, Peggy takes them somewhere such as a bird park or sanctuary, where although living free, they will have an easily accessible source of food.

She took the young jay, Woodie, to a bird garden in Somerset. Another mallard was released at a wildfowl sanctuary in Cambridgeshire. Cookie, the jackdaw, went to a London park, where, when he saw Peggy taking her dog for a walk, flew to her and sat on her shoulder.

Peggy has found that jackdaws in particular can become attached in this way. She has several times had young ones brought from Kelmscott and likes to return them as soon as she can before they lose their associations with their home area.

Her expertise is welcomed by rescue charities. In London, she lived near the stables of the Blue Cross. As there was no space there for birds, these were sent to Peggy to look after. She continues to help the Blue Cross rescue centre at Burford, which no longer takes in birds instead it gives her telephone number to people seeking advice and help.

The RSPCA also brings her birds that need nursing back to health. Among these have been a baby sparrow, brought to her by an RSPCA inspector, and a young blackbird which she reared until it was ready to fly and be returned to where it was found.

Very young birds need very regular attention, such as the three to four-hourly feeds Peggy provided for a nest of eight baby blue tits whose mother had been killed by a cat.

That was quite a job, she says, but she was rewarded by almost all surviving and continuing to come back to her garden.

In the early days, Peggy feeds the young birds through a very small syringe and later with food offered from plastic tweezers. The type of feed they need varies according to whether they are insectivorous, seed-eating species, or otherwise, and Peggy or a veterinary surgeon can advise on what is best.

In an emergency, when a bird is suffering from shock, she finds that honey in lukewarm water is helpful. Care should be taken not to make the bird's feathers wet though.

A specially prepared diet was needed for a young tawny owl brought to Peggy. She fed it meat wrapped in a small amount of feathers and fur, to replicate its normal food.

Owls are a particular example of young who may appear abandoned, as it will be night time before their parents appear with food for them. They may call to each other, however.

Should they be in a vulnerable situation and in need of being moved to somewhere else nearby, they could be placed on a tree branch with care taken for the sharpness of their talons.

The story of the owl fed by Peggy had a happy ending it returned in the following breeding season to the barn where it had been given refuge with a wife and she believes they may have nested there.

Peggy's own garden is a haven for wildlife, with birdbaths regularly filled with fresh water where the birds can drink and take the baths so important for keeping their feathers in good condition.

She grows plants to attract them, such as the teasels enjoyed by the goldcrests and encourages her friends to join her in putting up bird boxes. These are likely to be well-used by birds in these times when so many of their natural nesting sites are disappearing as the result of former garden land being developed for more and more houses.

It is best to site the boxes facing east, or south-east, so that they do not receive the full impact of hot afternoon sun.

Gardeners should not be too rash in wanting to tidy their gardens at this time of the year, and in removing tree, shrub and ivy growth. Not only is the disturbance of any nest a disaster for the birds who have worked so hard to build it, and for any young which they may then abandon, it is also an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Domestic situations have other hazards. Peggy points out those of patio doors, conservatories and greenhouses, where birds can injure themselves by flying into large panes of glass. Her suggestion for preventing this is to make or buy silhouette shapes of birds or of spiders' webs to attach to the panes.

There are various commercial deterrents to keep cats and birds apart, each enjoying their own space, and Peggy finds rose cuttings placed around a nesting or feeding area and plantings of prickly shrubs such as pyracantha are helpful barriers.

In the breeding season, peanuts should not be put out unless in a very fine-meshed container as whole nuts can harm young birds. Another risk to be aware are the nets in which some food is sold, as birds can become caught up in these.

Other containers should be used. Mixtures of wild bird food, which contain coloured pieces of dog biscuit or dried peas, are best avoided as the dry material will swell up.

Peggy also has wide experience of caring for caged birds and can provide advice on these.

A tip for recapturing an escapee into the garden is to take a cage containing its mate, if its has one, into the garden and this will attract it back home.

Peggy Linfield can be contacted via the Lost and Found Bird Register on 01993 841778.

The leading bird societies are urging people to continue to put out food for birds and erect nest boxes despite the concern over avian flu. The British Trust for Ornithology, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust say feeding at this time of the year, the breeding season, is particularly important as birds build nests, lay eggs and feed their young.

Good hygiene should in any case be practised at all times with food containers and bird tables washed regularly. Protective gloves should be worn and cleaning taking place out of doors.

Precautions should always be taken to prevent the spread of bird diseases.

Stale food should be removed and not allowed to become mouldy.

The societies emphasise that the risk of avian flu spreading to humans via wild birds is minimal.

The very cold spells of the winter will have made extra demands on the energy of the birds, so springtime feeding will be needed more than ever.

Martin Fowlie, of the BTO, said: "Many of us think that it is only in the winter when birds need food. Feeding at that time of year helps birds survive, but we shouldn't stop with the advent of spring.

"Breeding requires a huge amount of energy and, by carrying on feeding, people can have a very real effect on the success of garden nesting.

"Taking eggs and feeding chicks will put a real strain on this year's mothers. By putting out food, We can make sure that our garden birds are able to get enough energy to give them a good chance of getting through the breeding season."

Both BTO (telephone 01842-750050) and RSPB (01767-680551) have leaflets available with advice on hygiene in bird feeding.