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Bird of prey reunited with owner
A bird of prey was reunited with its owner thanks to a teenage boy on his first rescue for a local sanctuary.
Rory Johnston, 14, of Kellet Lane, Bamber Bridge, was volunteering at Turbary Woods Owl and Bird of Prey Sanctuary, Whitestake, Preston, when he was called upon to carry out a rescue single-handed.
A concerned married couple arrived just as the centre was opening for the day to say they had spotted an escaped bird of prey near their Leyland home.
Rory and centre manager Andy Bilsborough were the only two there at the time so Andy was unable to leave.
Rory, a pupil at Lancaster Royal Grammar School, has been volunteering for eight months and jumped at the chance.
He said: "The whole experience was one of the most exciting and nerve-racking but also best feelings in the world."
He used special equipment and fresh food to entice the bird, which was later identified as a kestrel, down to his glove.
It was taken back to Turbary Woods were Andy checked it over and took down the relevant identification details from an Independent Bird Registry ring on its leg.
The IBR was notified and they immediately contacted the kestrel's owner who had lost the bird while out flying it.
Andy said: "I was ever so proud of him, being his first rescue. I know what the feeling's like, the first one you ever tempt down."
Turbary Woods has rescued more than 90 owls and birds of prey this year.
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Weather for Preston
Tuesday 07 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -6 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: -2 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South east
