Goodbye to Ricky the Ticky magpie, released today. He was found by a local Veterinary Care Assistant dragging himself along the ground, unable to walk or stand with a shocking 25 ticks on his head and neck.
After the ticks were removed, he slowly regained weight and strength, aided by a strong dose of treatment to cure a heavy worm burden - he popped out a huge wad of dead worms, it wasn't a pretty sight!
Bright and active, parasite-free and no longer emaciated, he was ready to go home.
Ricky when he was first rescued: