Holidaymaker has his eye pecked out by terrified seabird he was trying to save



When Michael Buckland tried to rescue an injured gannet after he spotted it struggling for life, he did not think he was putting himself in any danger.

But the terrified bird responded by pecking at his face – before puncturing his right eyeball at least three times with its razor-sharp six-inch beak.

Mr Buckland, 38, had his left eyelid sliced in two in the frenzied attack during a caravanning holiday in Wales.

Agonising: Michael Buckland was trying to save a gannet when it attacked him and left him blind in one eye - the bird later died

Now the welder has been told by doctors he will never be able to see again through his right eye.

Mr Buckland was on holiday at Gower, South Wales, with his girlfriend when they spotted the seabird on a beach unable to walk or fly.

He scooped it under his arm to take it to higher ground, away from the incoming tide.

But the injured bird saw a family of four in the distance out walking with their dog. It was spooked by the small black terrier and lashed out at Mr Buckland.

Mr Buckland of Heath, Cardiff, said: ‘I tried to calm the terrified bird but it began to lash out at me by pecking my face.’



‘I was only trying to save it but it began attacking me in fright.

‘The bird was pecking my nose. I had a flap of skin on the top of my nose and a big gash across the top of my nose.

‘My eyelid was ripped off on my left eye. But if I didn’t blink in time, I would have lost that eye as well.’



Idyllic beach: The attack happened on a beach in Gower, South Wales

He said: 'I put my right hand to my face and I felt there was a big hole where my eye was meant to be.



‘My eye was hanging out and I had to put it back in on the beach. I didn't feel it was there, until I felt it at the side.

‘It felt like somebody sticking a pin through the back of your eye and trying to prise it out.'

Terrified bird: The gannet began pecking at Michael's face in fear - and punctured his right eyeball at least three times (File picture)

After the attack, Mr Buckland, of Heath, Cardiff, staggered across the sand and tripped beside a rock pool, his face covered with blood.

The couple were forced to walk back along the beach for 45 minutes before reaching help at the caravan site.

Mr Buckland was taken to Singleton Hospital in Swansea, where he had emergency surgery.

A specialist eye surgeon carried out the operation, threading 11 stitches across Mr Buckland's eyeball. The movement of his eye was saved, but doctors were unable to save his sight.



Mr Buckland said: ‘All I can see through my bad eye now is a bright light - I can see bright colours and bright lights, but that's it.

Emergency care: Mr Buckland underwent surgery at Singleton Hospital in Swansea to try and save his sight

‘If I go outside now, it feels like a needle is going through it.’



He has been left with permanent scarring across his cheeks and the bridge of his nose by the attack three weeks ago.

He has been also been told he may never work again as a welder.



The couple later returned to the beach - to find the bird had died and its body was lying in the sand.

A spokesman from the RSPB said: ‘This is an extremely rare, one-off event. If it is absolutely necessary to handle a wild animal, you should do so with extreme caution.



‘We would recommend that if you see an injured animal, you report it to the RSPCA.’





