02/09/2025
As rehabbers, we often have to wear a tough exterior. We patch up broken wings, syringe feed tiny beaks, and keep going no matter how tired or heartbroken we feel. But one of the hardest parts is the very thing we work towards: release. We often hear “I don’t know how you do it”. We do it because we love wildlife. And returning birds to the wild.
In just a few weeks, little Charlotte and Sunday our beautiful baby stock doves, will be heading off to a release aviary. There, they’ll spend time preparing for life as wild birds, building the confidence and strength they need to live freely, as nature always intended.
It’s a bittersweet moment. My heart aches at the thought of letting them go, after watching them grow and thrive with us. But deep down, I know it’s the greatest gift we can give them, the sky, the trees, the freedom they were born for.
Until then, I’ll be cherishing every soft coo, every flutter, every moment when they start squeaking for food at 5am. Because soon, they’ll belong to the wild. 🕊️✨
