Swift!

Thank you for your answer, it is a difficult situation and we can't help still feeling quite worried, as we've become quite fond of the little thing. Tufty still asks us for food, but is starting to peck at the food and has put on quite a bit of weight, and is very bright and perky, flying a little further (indoors) each day. Hopefully we'll find a "foster mum" to take over when we go home as you suggested.

Thank you for your reply Doggie, yes we are trying to get her used to the outside. She is getting bigger, stronger every day, and very lively, so different from the sad little weak thing we found.  It's been wonderful and so interesting to watch the development so close-up, but we'll be very sad to say goodbye!! PS. I've just enjoyed looking at all your wonderful photo's!

Thank you tuftymum

This might sound crazy and could be illegal but is there no way you could bring it back with you

Hi again Doggie, yes I must admit we'd be very tempted to try if we were driving back, but I think there might be problems at the airport, and I think as you suggest, it's probably illegal. I hand reared a sparrow, about thirty years ago. It was very young and had no feathers when I found it. I was advised by a vet it would be unlikely to survive if I released it into the wild. So we bought a cage and it lived very happily for twelve years!

I'l have to keep a look out to see if anything flies in. thanks for the help.

Hi again Doggie, I thought you might like to hear the latest news of the little Siskin I hand reared. As you know we were worried about the future of our little baby who had become so tame because we were leaving Spain to return to UK. We'd found her only just alive, with all her siblings lying dead nearby. I cuddled her in my hand and under my jacket, until we got home from our walk. I tried to get some food in her, as she was to weak to squeak, but her little body was making a movement as if she were trying. I started her off on a little soya milk and water, mixed with some crushed seed from my muisli, she seemed to take a little, and later we settled her into her bed, a dish lined with cotton wool, covered with a cloth and my thermal gloves to keep her warm. We put this into a cardboard box lined with a towel and a towel over the top to keep in the warmth. We thought she might not survive the night, but next day she seemed a little stronger. I attempted to feed a few more times, then suddenly she opened her gape wide and squeaked for food. From then she went from strength to strength.  We bought a large cage and we were then able to put it outside so that little "Tufty" could see all the other birds nearby. I weaned her onto seeds and she sat on my finger and enjoyed catching little fruit flies in the window. She became good at flying around the room and landing in all sorts of places. When the time came for us to fly home to UK, our neighbours said they would look after her for a while. After they looked after her for a few more days, little Tufty was becoming quite agitated and trying to get out of the cage which was outside. She was eating well on her own, and would eat small flies, apple, orange, little strips of cabbage and flat beans as well as the bird seed. So just over a week ago, they released her, and she flew straight to the trees where we'd seen other siskins. The lovely news was that five days later, Tufty returned and landed on the patio wall, where our neighbours put out food and water, she was looking perky and well. She looked at them when they called to her, then flew onto the roof for a while, before flying back to the trees.  I have got some photo's but I'm not sure how to download them!

Hi Tuftymun

That is great news..i think because you have photos the story deserves its own thread.

Post your story here more people will see it www.rspb.org.uk/.../13609.aspx

Have a look here on how to post photos www.rspb.org.uk/.../389440.aspx..

If you need help just shout.

How wonderful! I am glad it has all worked out for little Tufty. Lets hope she eventually finds true love frem one of her kind.