A variant of bird flu (avian influenza H5N8) has been discovered in the wild bird population in mainland Europe. Although the risks to humans is low and there has, so far, been no cases in the UK, DEFRA have ordered that for the next 30 days keepers of poultry and other captive birds are kept indoors, or appropriate biosecurity measures are taken to keep them separate from wild birds. Please call the surgery if you have any questions.