The eaglet landed...

Photo courtesy ESWC.

On July 1st, locals of the June Lake area (CA) watched as one of two older, bald eagle chicks, doing a lot of flapping in its nest, fell - hung upside down holding onto a branch with one foot, then fell through tree limbs to the ground below. 

Photo courtesy ESWC.

A rescue team from Eastern Sierra Wildlife Rescue responded, collected the "brancher", and took it back to the clinic for a thorough examination.

With no apparent injuries, except a possible sprained left foot which healed quickly, they knew the eaglet needed to get back with its family unit.

Returning it to its original nest some 80' high in a Ponderosa pine was not an option. 

A large juniper on a small cliff edge, with an uninterrupted view of the nest and nest tree would have to do. 




Three days later, on July 4th, ESWC's reuniting team set out to return the chick to its family.

With help from a bucket truck provided by B.Z. Miller Construction, Kevin Calder and Mike Aguirre erected a platform in the juniper tree. 

Once the eaglet was placed on the platform, the team left the area immediately and watched from afar.

Photo courtesy ESWC.

Photo courtesy ESWC.

The eaglet stayed on the platform for 3 days, doing a lot of flapping; then relocated to a large rock outcropping. All the while, the parents tended to both chicks. 

On 7/23, a local resident observed both immature eagles in the tallest Jeffrey (pine) on the dome. They were joined by both parents. 

"One eaglet flew a short circuit around the dome and returned to the perch. His flying and landing skills are not yet perfected, but he made it."

Success!!!