On the morning of December 10,2006 the small group of people going to the release banded both the eagles in the kitchen. Don Baumgartner holds the bird while William Powell and his wife Jan put the band on.
The bands are a size 9 and are put on with a rivet. Birds of prey tend to try to bite the bands off some times and with a rivet it will not ever happen.
Eagle number two is now being banded. Large cardboard boxes will serve as the container to ship the birds to release site. It is a two hour drive to the dam.
Don puts Thunder up first and Bill will throw his bird next.
Thunder is in the air and does well. She turns to the left and flys directly into the building and sits on the ledge. We watch from outside the fence and can not get to her to see if she is hurt or not. We watch for a while and then leave.
He is where she sat after she hit the building.
THUNDER IN REHAB...............
Three months later we got a call from a vets office over by Prairie du sac saying they had an eagle in rehab that had a spinal injury. It was Thunder. She had made three months, flew 75 miles south on the Wisconsin river and had gained 2 pounds. On the day of her accident she was observed fighting with an adult eagle in the air. When the two birds unlocked talons one fell to the ice on its back. The person watching called a rehabber. She never stood again and died in rehab two days later. Had she not been banded we would have never known of her journey. Banding is perhaps the most important tool in rehabbing. Even tho the outcome was short lived she died in her own world being an eagle.
Lightning spent from December 10, 2006 until now alone in the cage. This was her in early summer
In April 2007 we brought her down and checked her feathers. Still no improvement from when she came in. Hopfully the summer will bring a good molt. She has spent her whole life up until now in a cage. She needs to be free to be an eagle.
In the end of June we again brought her down and the feathers are looking very promising. By November we will know for sure if she will make the release in winter 2007.
On November 18, 2007 we again brought her to the ground. The photo tells the story. She is perfect and ready to be set free.
She has spent the first 2-1/2 years in a cage and well deserves to finally get out of here.
I wish to thank all the caring people that took the time to make sure she got that "Second chance"
In the next couple days I will take some photos of her in the cage and then on release day more will be taken. Please check back to see the final chapter on "LIGHTNING"
12-DEC-2007
Friday December 14, 2007. Lightnings last day in a cage. The next time she spreads her wings she will finally be a free bird.
15-DEC-2007
ON the morning of December 15, 2007 Don caught her up in the pen. The first step in the long day.
