MAY 2: Second Eaglet Rescued - The value of having many eyes on the eagles

[NewMexiKen]

After the failure of the rescue crew to locate the second downed eagle on Wednesday, April 30, our hopes were dashed. After that we watched for the adults and listened for any eaglet calls. Volunteers heard no eagle calls during multiple visits on Thursday and Friday. Then, late yesterday (Saturday) afternoon, Richard stopped by on his bicycle and heard a call which he recorded and then confirmed was indeed the cry of an eaglet. Phil notified Florida FWC and arranged to meet an officer at the nest in the morning.
 
I arrived at the eagle nest this morning at 6:50 AM, just after sunrise. At first all was quiet, but at about 7:10 AM there were the unquestionable calls of an eaglet from an area very close to the sidewalk and a short distance east of the nest tree. With other watchers, we counted over a dozen calls before the arrival of FWC, at about 8:15 AM.

Phil and the FWC Officer entered the woodland and searched through the tangle of fallen trees for over two hours. Probably because the eaglet was startled by the presence of the rescuers, it fell silent, calling only about twice but never near enough for Phil and the Officer to determine its location. Then at about 10:45 AM they finally felt that, because of the  nearly impenetrable undergrowth, it was necessary to suspend the search.

The FWC Officer was just preparing to depart when Richard looked into a break in the foliage and said he could see the eaglet! I waved down the Officer just as he was departing. It was amazing because I found it almost impossible to see the eaglet as Richard did his best to point it out, saying, "Look for its yellow feet." That did it and I got partial views of the eaglet standing tall on a fallen log, only about 20 yards from the edge of the woodlands. We watched as the Officer, carrying a large net, got within a yard or so from the eaglet. It suddenly ran into a hole between the limbs of the fallen tree. It was crouched down and quite inaccessible. Phil and his wife Mary joined the FWS Officer in trying to access the eaglet. They brought some fish, in case it might entice the hungry bird to come out into the open.

Pembroke Pines Fire & Rescue then arrived with longer poles and a chain saw. The latter was not needed as the eaglet responded to gentle probing by moving to a spot where is was finally captured.

Kudos to volunteers Phil and Mary for being part of the exhausting search effort. Richard was doubly a hero for this eaglet. By hearing and reporting its presence last night he renewed the search. To top it off, it was Richard who spotted the eaglet just before the search would have again been suspended.

[naturegirl]

WOW WOW WOW. Kudos to Phil, FWC and everyone who took the time to keep going out and find the eaglet

[NotToofast]

Extraordinary news!! Wow! Second eaglet found and rescued!...This made my day! Thanks to all involved and really kudos for their persistency, patience and skill to rescue this guy/gal!  And to PPinney-2...I am really blown away. What a resilience...survived a 80 foot fall and then several nights in a very hostile environment,  with out food, you earned your second chance in life.... Hope PPinney-1 and PPinney-2 are reunited very soon...

[Laura Lodge]

This is wonderful news.  God bless you all for your diligence in rescuing these 2 Eaglets.  

[NotToofast]

Hello Ken, Any updates on PPinney26 and PPinney27?...For what I can gather PPinney27 already left The Pelican Harbour and now is in the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey in Maitland, Florida...and PPinney 26 (The Eaglet rescued Sunday May 2nd) is still at the Pelican Harbour? Do you or any one else in this forum has any news to share? Thanks

[NewMexiKen]

Jorge,

No updates about the second eaglet on the Pelican Harbor Facebook or web page as yet.

The older (female) is the one there now (P Piney 26). The younger one (P Piney 27) is now at Audubon Center for Birds of Prey in Maitland.

The nest before the April 11 storm:



The nest after the collapse this past week:

[NewMexiKen]

According to Channel 10 news, FWC transported the second eaglet to the Florida Audubon Center for Birds of Prey in Maitland, where she joined her younger sibling.

VIDEO:

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2021/05/04/local-bird-lovers-help-save-the-day-after-baby-american-bald-eagles-disappeared-from-a-pembroke-pines-nest/

PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. – Two men and local officials were on a mission to save a baby bald eagle before it’s too late.

Phil Martin knows a thing or two about eagles.

“They are a symbol of our great nation,” he said. I’ve been watching this eagle’s nest now for approximately 12 years.”

So has Dr. Ken Schneider. Both men had their bird worlds recently shaken when something happened to the nest.

“About a week and a half ago we’ve noticed that the nest had collapsed,” said Dr. Schneider.

A nest with two baby American bald eagles. While a female eaglet was pretty quickly recovered, her brother was missing.

Volunteers and eagle watchers notified authorities.

Over a week went by with no sign of the baby bird. Long time watchers and lovers of the eaglets’ parents were on the verge of giving up hope.

“Just as they were ready to leave, he says, ‘wait a minute, I can see the eaglet,’” said Dr. Schneider.

The missing baby eaglet was found hiding in a deep trench, with only its yellow feet visible.

Fire rescue crews finally were able to rescue the fallen bird.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission took it to the same sanctuary as its sister.

“I feel very confident that if it wasn’t for the efforts of the Pembroke Pines Fire Department, these eagles would’ve perished,” said Martin.

It was a happy moment for our nation’s most beloved symbol of freedom and strength.

“It’s amazing that we were able to get both of them back, so we’re so happy,” said Martin. “I cannot describe the joy that I have knowing that these bald eaglets now have a second chance on life.”

[NewMexiKen]

CORRECTION: Only the first grounded eaglet is  in the care of the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey in Maitland.

Latest report is that the first grounded eaglet suffered a coracoid fracture. This bone is similar to the human collarbone, connecting the shoulder to the breastbone and thus stabilizing the rib cage. Fracture is often due to crashing into something right in front of the bird. Although it is serious break, it usually does not require surgery and is normally treated by immobilizing the wing. Raptors with this injury, if not complicated, have a good chance of being released to fly free after full recovery and conditioning in a flight cage.

The older eaglet which  grounded this past week is in a local rehabilitation facility. No word on her condition.

"Outcomes of 232 adult wild birds in the United Kingdom (UK), surviving more than 48 hours after admission, with only closed unilateral coracoid fractures confirmed on radiography were retrospectively analysed. There was a high success rate for conservative management, with 75% (95% confidence interval of 69-80%, n=174/232) of all birds successfully released back to the wild.  The proportion of raptors successfully returned to the wild was even higher at 97%..."

Ref: http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/45264/ 

[NewMexiKen]

CORRECTION: The TV Station had it wrong. Only the first grounded eaglet is  in the care of the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey in Maitland.

Latest report is that the first grounded eaglet suffered a coracoid fracture. This bone is similar to the human collarbone, connecting the shoulder to the breastbone and thus stabilizing the rib cage. Fracture is often due to crashing into something right in front of the bird. Although it is serious break, it usually does not require surgery and is normally treated by immobilizing the wing. Raptors with this injury, if not complicated, have a good chance of being released to fly free after full recovery and conditioning in a flight cage.

The older eaglet which  grounded this past week is in a local (unnamed) rehabilitation facility. No word on her condition.