An adult bald eagle is back to soaring the open skies around Burnaby, all thanks to the kindness of a couple kids.
On Thursday, the Orphaned Wildlife (OWL) Rehabilitation Society released a bald eagle into the wild after it was found a week ago in Robert Burnaby Park tangled in wire attached to a disc golf basket.
And on hand for the moment of first flight were Jack and Aaron Sutherland.
The two boys found the bird on Nov. 13 while out in the park with their mom.
Jack said he saw the bird hanging from the wire, believing it was dead. But as he got closer he noticed the animal was blinking.
He said the eagle became agitated and started struggling.
Mom called OWL, while the boys waited for more than an hour by the eagle’s side for rescuers to arrive and help the bird.
They made sure no other predators or people came by to prey on the bird while it hung stranded in the wire.
Fortunately, the eagle wasn’t really injured and after a week in rehab was placed back into the park.
The boys even got the chance to open the cage to let the eagle out.
“It‘s quite amazing, a very good experience,” Jack told the NOW. “I’ve always had a very high interest in birds, I think they’re very neat.”
And dad couldn’t be prouder.
Warren Sutherland said his sons have always had a soft spot for animals, noting they wanted to help from the start.
“You can’t walk away from that,” he said.
Upon its release, the bird first flew straight to the top of a tall tree stump in the park, before ascending into the sky.
Rob Hope, with the OWL, said the release area was chosen because they believe the bird probably has a nest or mate in the area.
“So adult birds, we like to get them back to where they’re from,” he said, adding the bird could stay in the area or follow the salmon runs.
In an interesting twist, it appears someone is claiming responsibility for putting up the wire.
Someone under the name of Chad commented on the NOW’s original story about the eagle, claiming the Burnaby Disc Golf Club was responsible for putting up what he called "tonals" described as an alternative target to the usual baskets.
He said the tonals were added without permission of the city a few months ago in order to improve the experience of playing there.
“I'm glad most of all that the bird in question is doing well and hope it makes a full recovery - thank you so much to the people responsible for calling about it, and the ones who came to save it and rehabilitate it... your quick-thinking and actions were wonderful,” the post read.
“I realize we look like idiots for this mess, and again I'm sorry that this happened. Anyone who comes to enjoy this park space can see that it's well taken care of by our group, and that we are quite respectful to all (people and animals) who come here. No hanging targets will ever be put up again in this park, I assure you.”
