Spring is definitely here!

Spring really has sprung and babies are popping up everywhere!

This year, we were one of the first rescues in the country to get a badger cub. Our year usually starts with fledgling birds and ducklings, but little Ian (named after his finder, Ian from Calderdale Badger Group) was our first spring baby to arrive. He was found out in the open by a dog, when he should have been safely tucked up with his mother underground. These images compare Ian with a print of a fully-grown badger. So much growing to do!

As with most babies, it's preferable for them to be with their own kind as they thrive better with others of the same species. When we found out our friend and mentor Jean Thorpe MBE had a lone badger cub too, little Ian was driven over to join her. There, Ian quickly settled into life with his new pal and is thriving. Before they can be moved on, badger cubs need TB testing. Both cubs passed their first test. When they are fully weaned and pass their second test, we will collect them and take them to RSPCA Stapeley Grange, which has all the facilities for their ongoing care. Little Chops, our first fox cub of the season, was also transported this week to Stapeley Grange. It's a very big wildlife centre which rehabilitates and returns to the wild larger mammals such as otters, foxes and badgers, having facilities that smaller rescues lack.

Orphaned ducklings are arriving daily, sometimes singly or in groups of up to ten. The duckling count increases every day. We currently have seven duckling pens and, at the time of writing, more than 60 ducklings. We are finishing building Duckingham Palace so they can move outside when they are a little bigger.

Fledglings are also arriving. Since some fledglings need feeding every 15 minutes during the day they must go home with carers. We have a Nestling Nanny scheme where trained volunteers who are at home all day can join in and look after some babies in their own home. If that sounds like you and you're interested, please get in touch.

Other babies—owls, little owlets—are arriving. All are tawnies so far. The influx includes the youngest ever tawny hatchlets we have received - three balls of fluff found on the floor after the tree their nest was in was felled in a storm. With their nest destroyed and no sign of Mum, they went into the care of one of our Nestling Nannies, where they have been for two and a half weeks. See photos below of their arrival and now - what a contrast! They should soon be able to join the other tawnies at the Rescue, to stretch their wings in our flight aviary, before being given a soft release before they fly off into the wild.

As well as rescuing owls, we have been advising farmers on caring for their barn owl nests - one we visited had seven eggs, hopefully leading to a successful hatch. Leverets and baby rabbit kits are also arriving, often as a result of cat attacks, and they are being bottle fed at carers' homes, . Any animal caught by a cat needs a course of antibiotics because cat saliva is toxic to many animals. So, the sooner they can be brought to us the higher their chance of survival.

If you would like to support our vital work, giving babies a second chance and getting them back into the wild where they belong, please click here.