Bird tales: Wildlife clinic returns bald eagle to the wild, rescues entangled owl from tree
Rescuers at the Wildlife Clinic of Rhode Island have had a busy and successful few days, first releasing a bald eagle that the clinic had been nursing since May and then rescuing an owl that had been entangled in fishing line.
The eagle released Saturday is just the second of its species the clinic has rehabilitated and released to the wild in its 29-year history. The owl was rescued Monday in Bradford – which spans parts of Westerly and Hopkinton – after it was found about 15 to 20 feet up in a tree and the clinic put out a call for help from tree climbers.
"The eagle went back home," said Kristin Fletcher, executive director of the Wildlife Rehabilitators Association of Rhode Island, which runs the Saunderstown clinic. The prognosis on the owl, now in the clinic's care, "is really excellent," she said.
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Eagle 'would not have survived'
When it was brought to the clinic in May, the juvenile eagle was in rough shape. Found on the ground below its nest in Coventry, he had apparently fallen and fractured both of his right lower leg bones, the clinic said on Facebook.
"He obviously would not have survived in that condition," Fletcher said. "They need those legs and feet to hunt."
Under the care of the clinic's veterinarian, Dr. Mariah Rayfield Beck, the eagle had surgery to pin the bones, and then regular X-rays to ensure the bones were healing properly. The bird also received weekly physical therapy sessions that Fletcher said are comparable to the physical therapy a human would receive.
The eagle was kept on "strict cage rest" indoors for nearly two months and then moved to an outdoor cage where "he immediately started self feeding and beginning to strengthen his wings," the clinic said.
"He was pretty vocal. If anyone got near the cage, you could hear him complain," Fletcher said.
He was the first eagle to use the clinic's new 60-foot flight cage, called The Eagle Cage.
Bald eagles are making a comeback but are not a common sight in Rhode Island, with about six breeding pairs in the state. The clinic has treated other bald eagles, according to Fletcher, but most were in such bad condition they didn't survive.
This eagle was released near its nest in the hope that it will reunite with its family, which rescued raptors typically do, according to Fletcher. Neighbors have been keeping an eye on the area, and so have clinic staff.
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"The homeowners informed us that his sibling and father have been seen recently!" the clinic said on Facebook. "He flew off with grace and strength, all that we could hope for!"
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Barred owl was not easy to reach
Some drama followed discovery of the barred owl. The owl was in a difficult spot up in a tree on a trail about a mile from the road.
The clinic put out a plea for help on Facebook. Within hours, it arrived from Connecticut.
The help came from A Place Called Hope, an organization in the town of Killingworth that rescues and rehabilitates birds of prey. Todd Secki, co-founder of A Place Called Hope, and volunteer Alex Burne, both experienced climbers, drove to Rhode Island and retrieved the owl.
Considering its predicament, the owl was in good shape. The fishing line hadn't snagged its legs or wings, which is what often causes serious injury to birds, according to Fletcher. Its feathers, essential to its silent flight for hunting, also appear to be in good shape, she said.
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Despite the two high-profile cases, according to Fletcher, last weekend wasn't unusual for the clinic, which treated 6,000 animals last year.
"At this time of year, it's just the way it is," Fletcher said. "Every weekend, we're trying to get more species released."
The bald eagle's release and the owl's recovery look like victories, but the clinic also has its losses, according to Fletcher, like the fawn that couldn't be saved last weekend.
She said, "We always get our highs and our lows."
jperry@providencejournal.com
(401) 277-7614
On Twitter: @jgregoryperry
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This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI wildlife clinic returns bald eagle to wild, rescues entangled owl
