Joy as wounded Brooke Park buzzard released in Derry

An injured buzzard which was rescued from Derry’s Brooke Park thanks to the speedy intervention of local wildlife lovers on St Stephen’s Day has been released from the same spot.
The Buzzard found with a broken leg and emaciated on December 26 and after months of being nursed back to health by Dooletter Wildlife Rescue they shared a video as it “got to go home” on Thursday last.

Dooletter staff said the male bird “wasn’t going to hang around once the door of the cage was opened”.

They thanked local woman Jean Parker, who came across the injured bird and rang to get help for him, and her neighbour who helped to secure him.
The team also thanked Sam and Tanisha who collected him that day and took him back to be released last week, and Kieran and the staff at Corry & O’Hare Vets who repaired his broken leg.

The magnificent bird of prey was spotted hunkered down in bushes at the bottom of Brooke Park on Boxing Day.

Jean, who walks with her border collie in the park every morning, explained at the time that one fellow dog walker saw it being mobbed by crows which flew off when he approached. They quickly realised that the buzzard was unable to fly.