Two longtail chicks that were displaced from their nests during Hurricane Lee have been rehabilitated and released from the cliffs at Nonsuch Island.

Jeremy Madeiros, principle scientist, terrestrial conservation, for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, provided an update on the fledgelings that were washed out of their nests on September 14.

He said once they had been rehabilitated, they were successfully released on Thursday “with both birds flying strongly and confidently out to sea”.

Mr Madeiros said one of the birds, named Hope, was found waterlogged and washed up on a beach during the hurricane and the other, named Survivor, was found near Horseshoe Bay.

He added: “In addition, I was able to confirm the first return of a number of cahows to their nest burrows on Nonsuch Island for the beginning of their nesting season, with at least four birds in three nests.

“All these birds were removed from the nests and given a quick check of general body condition, weighed and their band numbers checked before being returned into their nests.

“In addition, at least four other nests showed evidence of visits and burrowing, but the birds had returned to sea for the day.”

• UPDATE: this article has been amended to correct that it was in fact longtail chicks that were displaced, not cahows