Watching a wild bird take flight is always special. Watching one you rescued from the middle of a road three weeks earlier? That’s something else entirely. It was a moment Tariq won’t forget in a hurry.
Friday lunchtime on 9 January started like any other Friday lunchtime. Tariq was driving through Marden on his way to volunteer at Bethany School’s Young Enterprise programme, something the Maslins team has supported for around 9 years. Then he spotted something in the middle of the road.
“I saw this huge bird just sitting there,” Tariq explains. “As I got closer, I realised it couldn’t walk, couldn’t fly, and it was shivering. I pulled into someone’s driveway and got out to take a closer look.”
What happened next made his decision for him. “A truck came past and missed it by about two inches. That’s when I thought, I need to get this bird off the road.”
A blanket, a boot, and a change of plan
Luckily, Tariq had a blanket in his car. He gently covered the bird with the blanket, wrapped it up, and moved it to the side of the road. After a few phone calls, he was put in touch with Folly Wildlife Rescue in Tunbridge Wells.
“I thought they’d send someone to collect it and I’d still make it to Young Enterprise,” Tariq laughs. “But they asked if I could bring it in myself. So I put the bird in the boot, locked it in, and drove straight there.”
The red kite, an adult male, had been struck by a vehicle. He arrived at Folly with a damaged wing and head trauma. The team weren’t sure if he’d survive the first half hour.
A bird back from the brink
Red kites have a remarkable story of their own. Once common across Britain, they were driven to the edge of extinction at the end of the 17th Century. But in a pioneering reintroduction programme in 1989, young kites from Spain and Sweden were released and the population slowly recovered. Today, the UK is home to around 4,400 breeding pairs. It’s been called the biggest species success story in UK conservation history.
But red kites still face threats from poisoning and vehicle collisions, which is exactly what happened to this one.
From critical to flying
After three and a half weeks of specialist care at Folly’s Wildlife’s Hospital, the news came through – the kite was ready to be released.
The release itself was a proper event. Three wildlife professionals arrived with big nets and protective gloves. Everyone was prepared for the possibility that the bird might not fly straight away, given it had been grounded for weeks.
“As soon as they let go of him, he dropped down a bit, but managed to stay in the air. He flew up into the trees and practiced flying between the trees. It was a really moving moment,” says Tariq.
A famous bird and a new commitment
The red kite’s story has been picked up by BBC News, making him something of a local celebrity. Could he be Kent’s most famous bird? We think so.
For Tariq, the experience has left a lasting impression. Having seen first-hand the incredible work that Folly Wildlife Rescue does, he’s chosen to direct his monthly charity donation to them. Every Maslins team member has £200 per month to donate to a charity of their choice, and for Tariq, this was an easy decision.
“They do amazing work,” he says. “And they rely entirely on volunteers and donations. If I hadn’t stopped that day, this bird probably wouldn’t have survived. But without Folly, he definitely wouldn’t have.”
Folly Wildlife Rescue is a charity dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating injured wildlife across West Kent and East Sussex. They receive no local authority funding and rely on public donations. Find out more at fwrt.org.uk
At Maslins, we support our local community in lots of ways, from volunteering and charity donations to helping young people learn about business through programmes like Young Enterprise. It’s all part of being an employee owned business that genuinely cares.
