AS word spreads that the largest continual flight raptor rehabilitation aviary in the southern hemisphere is in the Southern Highlands, raptor rehabilitator Peggy McDonald has been incredibly busy.
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Injured birds from as far away as Casino and Bega are brought to the facility where Peggy cares for them until they are ready for release.
The aviary is 100 metres in circumference, six to eight metres high and has a central pavilion in the centre which prevents the birds from seeing an endpoint when flying.
This week there are more than 10 injured birds in Peggy's care which have arrived for various reasons.
A rare masked owl flew into a car in Kangaroo Valley and was unconscious when the driver picked it up. Peggy has had the owl in one of the aviaries for just over a week and after a final check by Dr Charlie Carter, it was given the all-clear on Tuesday, and will be taken back home.
An adult female wedge-tailed eagle has been in Peggy's care for just over two months after she came in with severe head and spinal trauma.
"A lot needs to be taken into account when a bird is being considered for release. The recovery from their initial trauma, their age, how long they have been out of their territories and of course their ability to again take to the skies and fly and hunt in their natural roles as the supreme athletes of the skies," Peggy said.
A young male wedge-tailed eagle that arrived extremely emaciated with badly damaged wing and tail feathers has recovered from his initial problems but will need a full moult before he is released.
"He should be released in six months - he can't fly yet but he has plenty of room to exercise in the aviary."
A brown goshawk from Milton has been recuperating at the aviary, after a near miss with a goanna when he was a nestling.
"He was being sized up by a goanna when spotted by a caring farmer. He must have been blown out of the nest," Peggy said.
"He has now reached his normal dispersal time and, like two local Australian Kestrels, is being soft released which means they can come and go, returning to feed until they have the confidence to stay in the wild."
A juvenile whistling kite has been in care for five weeks after it was found in Goulburn, presumably hit by a car.
"She had ruptured air sacks and a broken pelvis, and is now doing well."
Three gang gang cockatoos which were hit by cars are recuperating with one on soft release.
A young Eastern rosella that flew into a window, and a magpie hit on Nowra Road are also in Peggy's care.
A black falcon was sent to the aviary to regain its fitness levels so it could be released.
He needs his tail feathers imped, which is the process of transplanting healthy feathers from a deceased donor into the broken feather shafts of the recipient bird.
He will be released at Grenfell towards the end of summer when the natural food supply is most abundant.
"I believe we need to take on board the knowledge that is available from researchers, scientists, vets and other raptor advocates both here and overseas, and relate it all to each individual case," Peggy said.
"As Charlie my vet says, it isn't about doing this because we can, it is about doing it with the genuine belief that every bird we release has as good a chance as we can possibly provide."
She said birds came and went every week and even Taronga Zoo had sent birds to be rehabilitated.
"The aviary is for all organisations to use and is purely for rehabilitation purposes," Peggy said.
It's a full time job for volunteer Peggy, taking the birds to the vets, cleaning, feeding, changing and repairing perches, hosting bird talks, fielding queries, fundraising, applying for grants and more.
Her plans for the future are to improve include improving the high standards that have already been reached.
"We still need a dedicated owl bay and catching facility, more sand and blue metal to cover the bases of the adjoining aviaries and one project I am really keen to work on installing is CCTV and webcams," Peggy said.
"It's onwards and upwards. I want to get back to the falcon hospital in Abu Dhabi to complete my studies and then pass on that knowledge so we can all embrace techniques being used overseas."
She said when things quietened down, she would have a gathering to thank all of those who had helped with the aviary and to show them what their support had created.
There is still more to be done, and fundraising is vital to continue the work Peggy is doing. Peggy and the birds receive voluntary veterinary support, 24/7, from Charlie and the team at the Southern Highlands Vet Centre, however there are continual food costs, ongoing maintenance, future projects and equipment that needs to be purchased for the vet centre to improve their avian diagnostic ability.
To help, call the Southern Highlands Veterinary Centre in Moss Vale on 4868 1310.
By Emma Biscoe