A stranded puffin has been rescued after being found more than a hundred miles away from its natural coastal habitat.<\/p>\n
The seabird was blown off course before landing in a garden in landlocked Hereford, England, where it was found by a concerned homeowner who took it to a veterinary office.<\/p>\n
It is believed the lost puffin was trying to make its way back to the cliffs of Skomer or its nearby Island in Pembrokeshire, Wales\u2014110 miles (177km) away.<\/p>\n
Vets for Pets Hereford reported on Facebook Wednesday that the exhausted bird was weak and underweight, but they managed to nurture it back to health by feeding it a specialized formula designed for fish-eating birds.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were surprised, to say the least,\u201d said Dr. Elliot Goodwin, the head surgeon. \u201cPuffins never venture this far inland unless they\u2019re disoriented or have been blown off course.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s likely she was returning to her nesting site in West Wales and lost her way. Although she is not injured she is very tired from her inland holiday.\u201d<\/p>\n
The staff nicknamed the bird \u2018Lovely Oona\u2019\u2014inspired by Puffin Rock & Friends animation\u2014and she\u2019ll be transported back to West Wales and released into the wild once she regains her full strength.<\/p>\n