Mom and Dave had quite a unique experience yesterday, moving an American Bald Eagle from the Raptor Recovery Center near Elmwood back to her home at the lake.
The story began last April. Mom and Dave, along with their neighbor Rich, a conservation officer, kept close watch on a sick eagle near their house.
After several days, Rich was able to capture the bird, and she was sent to the Raptor Recovery Center for treatment for lead poisoning. Apparently, she had foraged on a bird that had been killed with lead shot.
Mom and Dave kept tabs on her the entire time she was there. You can read more about her stay in this article in the Lincoln Journal-Star.
Yesterday, they were able to transport her back to Harlan County. Before they left, the staff banded her before loading her into a crate.
She rode in the back of Dave’s pickup the entire way home.
When they arrived at the lake, they met Rich, three Park Rangers, a friend, and two newspaper reporters at the campground where the eagle was found.
As Mom wrote, Needless to say, the eagle was just a little bit shy about stepping out of the kennel when we opened the door just a few feet from where she was rescued in April.
This went on for quite some time as she looked us over and then hesitantly attempted to step out of the door.
It was the sound of a heron squawking that lured her off the tailgate and to the ground. Her attention and reaction was priceless — almost as if she had just figured out where she was.
Rich said, “Yes, you are home again!”
She flew up to a nearby tree just out of camera range (the longest flight she had managed since mid-April); and was still resting there when the last of us left.
Dave thought he heard her call shortly after we got home. No doubt, we’ll be seeing her again soon.
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Photos by Deb Whitehead
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