I wanted all of you to have a chance to see this marvelous video by Mark Smith Photography. It is a very common ritual between would be and permanent pairs of bald eagles but very seldom videoed and especially not in this wonderful quality. Please enjoy.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cs9Oy5vh9Te/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
American bald eagle
TagIf You Find an Injured Bald Eagle
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO IF YOU FIND AN INJURED BALD EAGLE. Please read and keep the information handy.
REMEMBER: bald eagles are very DANGEROUS to handle and human safety comes FIRST in a rescue attempt.BEFORE TRYING TO GET THE INJURED EAGLE IN HAND FOLLOW THE STEPS BELOW!!!
1) call the US Fish and Wildlife Services, southeast division (404) 679-7070
2) call the NC Wildlife Resources Commission 1 (800) 662-7137
3) reach out to the people who are Federally licensed to care for bald eagles:
Carolina Raptor Center (704) 875-6521, website https://carolinaraptorcenter.org
Wild at Heart Wildlife Sanctuary (910) 430-0794, website https://wildatheartsanctuary.org
Cape Fear Raptor Center (910) 687-6888 http://www.capefearraptorcenter.org
Joni Shimp, DVM, Rocky Point Animal Hospital, (910) 602-6633 http://www.rockypointvet.com
4) if you have not been able to reach anyone above or need additional info text me, Doc Ellen at (919) 801-2702
My thanks once again to Jim Stafford, Keith Megginson, Barbara Driscoll and the Carolina Raptor Center for trying so hard to help the bald eagle last week!


Bald Eagle Rescue
BALD EAGLE RESCUE in Wake County and WHAT TO DO IF YOU FIND AN INJURED BALD EAGLE. First: my heartfelt thanks to Jim Stafford and his crew, Keith Megginson, Barbara Driscoll and the Carolina Raptor Center. A week ago I got a call from Jim Stafford of Gaines and Company Inc. of Knightdale. He was trying hard to get information on how to rescue an injured bald eagle that he and his crew found the day before while working on a construction site. They called NC Wildlife Resources Commission, and left information asking for help with the bald eagle but regretfully did not get a reply from them. Jim then reached out to the local wildlife rehab facilities – American Wildlife Refuge and CLAWS – and again got no responses. Jim was bewildered and upset as he wanted to help the eagle. By Thursday afternoon, as the eagle was visibly losing the fight to stay alive, his friend Barbara Driscoll had suggested that he call me. After much discussion and a lot of phone calls back-and-forth we got it arranged for Keith Megginson, (a monitor for the breeding bald eagles program for the US Army Corps of Engineers at Jordan Lake) to help with the actual capture of the bald eagle. I talked through the capture process with Keith and Jim. Keith gathered up the equipment needed and went to the site to help safely capture the bald eagle and get it ready for transport. Jim dropped everything in his busy schedule to transport the eagle from the capture site in Wake County to the Carolina Raptor Center in Huntersville. There were many hours spent by Jim and Keith with their only concern being the attempt to help the eagle. Regretfully, after the veterinarian at the Carolina Raptor Center examined the eagle it had to be euthanized. All of us involved wondered what might have been the outcome if knowledgeable help had been available the day the eagle was found. Tomorrow I will post WHAT YOU SHOULD DO IF YOU FIND AN INJURED BALD EAGLE. Please read and keep the information handy.



Might Nigh Perfect…
Jordan Lake. I sometimes find that the transition between 3.5 into 4 years of age for the bald eagle presents a quite striking appearance. This eagle has not been injured … he is molting. Even though he might look a little ragged and tattered to us he is very sure that he is might nigh perfect.

Dare the Sun
Jordan Lake. This morning was considerably cooler than it has been for more than a week. Apparently it was cool enough for this bald eagle to dare to cross above the glowing heat of the solar disk as it rose into the mists above the lake at dawn. Leave it to a bald eagle to be that arrogant.

Fish Leads the Race vs Bald Eagle!
Jordan Lake. The four-year-old bald eagle saw the fish jump. The race was on! I will probably never ever get another chance to photograph a bald eagle literally chasing a jumping shad. BTW the fish won. Hope you enjoy the race.
