NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — Following the sounds of freedom on the fourth, a sign of freedom is flying on the fifth.
An injured bald eagle that had been found grounded in Newport News Park in March has spread its wings once more.
While there were no injuries to the bird’s wings, the eagle had a very high level of lead in its system, likely causing its inability to fly.
The Wildlife Center of Virginia, based in Waynesboro in the western part of Virginia, said after four months of treatment and care, the eagle was ready to fly high again, and many people couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see it soaring into the sky the day after Independence Day.
“I have to admit, I got a little emotional watching her fly off,” said city of Newport News ranger technician Regan Woosley. “That has to be one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen.”
People who were walking in the park found the injured bald eagle and called ranger technicians, Woosley, Abby Williams and Andreanna Schultz, from the city of Newport News to help. The eagle was found on the ground, unable to fly.
“We went over there with a net and some towels and a big crate and we got her,” Woosley said.
They said she was difficult to catch.
“She was clearly very injured, but she still had a lot of fight left in her too, so we were also doing our best to remain protected from her,” Schultz said.
The women say it was sad to see the bird grounded, but a relief to get her to the Wildlife Center of Virginia. When she got there, she didn’t have any fractures or breaks to her wings, so they did an array of tests to determine what was wrong. Her blood work showed high levels of lead in her system.
“We see a lot of bald eagles with lead toxicity,” said Amanda Nicolson, Wildlife Center of Virginia senior vice president. “Unfortunately, actually, about three out of every four bald eagles that come to the center have some level of lead in their system.”
After she was given some medicine to remove the lead from her system, she was moved to an outdoor flight pen.
“It doesn’t take long for birds of her size,” Nicholson said. “If they’re down and out for a week or two, it can have big consequences. They could lose that flight conditioning that they need to be able to survive in the wild.”
And after four months of rehab, she was ready to take flight! Soaring above expectations of those who saw her at her weakest point.
“That was exactly what I was hoping for to have her just fly right off into the trees into her home,” Williams said.
And what better day to release her into the wild than the day after the Fourth of July. Because just like her persistence in her recovery process, she symbolizes the strength and freedom of America.
“It’s amazing to see so many people come out here and be really interested in her story as well,” Schultz said. “It just makes what we do rehabbing our wildlife, most of which is found in Newport News, it’s really exciting to see everyone so passionate about that.”
The Wildlife Center of Virginia said this particular eagle was patient number 316. She was given that number because she was the 316th patient taken in this year.
Halfway through the year, it has already seen more than 2,000 patients in their rehabilitation center, and it expects that number will top 4,000 by year’s end.
You can help decrease lead found in wildlife. If you hunt or fish, you’re encouraged to use non-lead ammunition and tackle. The Wildlife Center of Virginia said this simple switch can save a lot of wildlife.
If you’d like to know more about the Wildlife Center of Virginia’s mission, click here.
