An exhausted bird has been airlifted from a North Sea oil rig after being blown off course.
The Water Rail landed on a helideck in the North Sea last week while migrating south for the winter, after being caught in last week’s high winds.
After being taken by helicopter to the mainland, it was nursed back to health at the Scottish SPCA’s rescue centre in Allow before being released back into the wild.
“It seems the bird became exhausted and managed to find refuge on the oil rig,” said centre manager Colin Sneddon.
“It was unable to fly off again so we were contacted for help.
“The water rail was fit and well by the time it was released at Loch Gelly in Fife.
“This was an ideal spot as the loch is surrounded by reedbeds, with no fishing and very little disturbance.”
In September a tiny bat was rescued from a North Sea platform and flown to Norway to be nursed back to health after being blown off course into the North Sea.
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