Bristol Harbour Wildlife Project, Who Looks After our Harbourside Wildlife?

Bristol Harbour Wildlife Project, Who Looks After our Harbourside Wildlife?

Posted on: 10 Nov 2017

Bristol Harbourside Wildlife project was founded in 2012 and Jayd, who has been caring for the animals that inhabit our Harbourside for years, has caught a lot of peoples attention. Jayd lives on one of the boats along the harbourside and is often greeted by her feathery friends. After constant care, feeding and rescuing when needed they have become very fond of her which you can see from her Facebook videos!

Ducks

The Facebook page is to promote the conservation of the animals that live on the Bristol harbour! From swans, ducks and moorhens to cormorants, otters and eels. Feeding them, playing with them and when required; saving & rehabilitating. Jayd is now saving for materials to create an outdoor shelter structure for the animals during Winter and a platform for nesting to be possible during Summer. She has set up a GoFundMe page where you can help towards food and materials for these adorable animals.  

Night time

Jayd has told us first hand why she started this page; "I've been looking after them for 5 years, since I moved onto the harbour basically. Its always been instinctive for me to go out of my way for an animal, when I moved onto the harbour I was surrounded by them so it was natural for me to look after them. I spend every day around them and have seen the generations grow up, they've all got their own personalities and most of them recognise me coming and follow me around the pontoons which is quite funny to see." Over the years Jayd has rehabilitated seagulls, ducks and many abandoned ducklings and makes sure they are well fed and cared for. "I go around the harbour every day, all the birds get fed specialised bird pellets which I buy in bulk every week."

Swan

At the moment she pays for their food herself, and saving any injured birds requires her to jump in the harbour. "My goal is to raise money to go towards food, a net to catch birds, a small boat of some kind to be able to access any stranded animals quickly (my boat is 45ft, a bit too big to just nip out on!), for some cages so if required the animals can be rehabilitated comfortably and to gradually set up outdoor sleeping/ nesting spots for the birds around the harbour (as there is only one area and they all fight over it!)". 

 

It's a hard life for the birds that live on the harbour and Jayd hopes to make it easier for them. 

 

Like and follow Bristol Harbour Wildlife's facebook page for regular pictures, videos and updates on our city's feathered friends!


Article by:

Milly Knight-Hastings

Milly is a second year student studying Photography at UWE in Bristol. She's a passionate fashion photographer and blogger; to find out a bit more about her interests, take a look at her photography blog at millyhastingsphotography.weebly.com.