RE: I rescued a Bald Eagle yesterday! Lifetime Achievement - Unlocked! Pics/Vids/Story/Updates in comments
12 Hour Update
This morning I heard the dog barking like crazy and when I looked right out front, the eagle had landed on the ground not 10 ft from where I was sitting at my computer. As I walk out the door I see our cat, Kahlua, eye to eye with the eagle, tail puffed, back arched. I felt for my camera, but it was inside.
I yelled at the cat to get away from the eagle, at which point the eagle jumped into the air and flew towards the chicken coop and the animal pens. I went to make sure it where it was and that it wasn't in an animal pen.
I decided the best is to let it be so I got a garbage can lid, turned it over and filled it with water, just in case, and kept my distance. Then I went out to check the mail and heard a hummingbird freaking out. It was flying around over the top of the eagle, chattering and making a racket. The hummingbird was literally acting like a tiny dog does, all bark. I only wish the chickens and turkeys weren't too loud to hear the hummingbird.
So now I am keeping an eye on it as it moves around the yard and stays in the shade. At least down here there is water and shade for it, so I won't move it unless it puts itself in a dangerous position. But it flies well enough now that I am not really concerned.
24 Hour Update
The Bald Eagle hung out in the same area all day long. It walked/hopped on the ground and followed the shade around the yard. I kept a distance from it and let it be. It was not in an area that was conducive to my doing any substantial work with the birds or animals, but I was able to get the basic done without bugging it too much.
It has become more active as the temperature has fallen and a short bit ago it hopped onto a pile of carpet padding, then over the fence into one of the larger animal pens that is attached to the chicken yard. I watched it fly onto the side of the hill a short ways up from the coop. It had landed on the ground and was trying to walk farther up.
I was picking strawberries so my attention was diverted for a while, but I heard it flap its wings as it moved again. When done picking I started trying to find where it had gone. It took until I got near the coop that I could see it had perched on an old downed tree under the cover of some maples. It blends in so well that it took a while to find. I assume it will perch there for the night as it is under cover and protected.
36 Hour Update
Sitting at my computer by the window and all of a sudden the eagle comes crashing down with a broken branch from the pine tree that stands next to the house. It caught itself upside down in the small fir tree, just above the ground.
It took it a couple minutes but it dropped to the ground. It is fine, just still learning to fly. It appears that it made it about 20 to 30 ft up the pine tree so it is getting better at flying since it is getting more elevation. The eagle is now sitting in the grass about 30 ft from where I sit.
Read the 48 Hour Update for more pics, vids, and story!
Bald Eagle Juvenile came to say hi this morning - 48 hour Update - Pics/Videos/Story