Fly high free bird

The News and Messenger ^ | July 26, 2009 | Kipp Hanley

[Cailleach]

What was cool about seeing a baby bald eagle up close and personal?

"Everything," said 8-year-old Warrenton resident Will Jenkins.

Will and his family were just a few of the several hundred people who witnessed bald eagle history Saturday. On a hot and steamy summer afternoon, the Wildlife Center of Virginia released a trio of the young but fully grown raptors at the Mason Neck State Park visitors center in Lorton.

Saturday's featured birds were rescued in various areas of Virginia and were rehabbing at the Waynesboro-based Wildlife Center before coming to Mason Neck this weekend.

It was the first time that the center released three bald eagles at one time. Visitor Center employee Earl Baysinger said the park typically would host an eagle release function with just one bird.

And avid raptor fan, Baysinger served as the assistant chief in the Office of Endangered Species and International Activities in the late 1960s when the bald eagle was placed on the endangered species list.

While Rep. Jim Moran, D-8th District, was one of the guests of honor Saturday, it was clear who the crowd came to see. The eagles drew gasps and cheers from children and adults as they were removed from their cages by Wildlife Center president Edward Clark Jr.

[Cailleach]

Our family attended the release. It was beautiful. They did not mention in the article that Rep. Moran was over 30 min late arriving. They had even given up and released the first eagle before he bothered to show. His excuse? Someone was driving 3 miles an hour through the park.

My hubby took a lot of great pics at the event. Assuming my baby is patient enough, I will post one or two here.

[Cailleach]

Aidan (the baby) has given me permission to post the pictures the hubby took. :)

[JoeProBono]

[Cailleach]

The sky was gorgeous blue, but it was steamy, muggy, and hot hot hot! Our daughter swore that we could have fried an egg on her hair.

[Cailleach]

I wish I could have posted the full sized version of this picture, the eagle's expression is just...wow

[Daffynition]

What a wonderful experience! In the spring, it's fun to log in to an eagle cam like this to watch the goings on .... if you don't have and in-person experience as you did!

[Thrownatbirth]

Nice shots! I've been enjoying my resident eagles at Burke Lake for several years now.

Too bad Moran was there; it would have spoiled my day.

[KingLudd]

I was there too. Canoeing later that afternoon, I believe I saw two of the three sitting in a tree checking things out. They weren’t more than a couple of hundred yards from where they were released. In a few hours I saw 5 different eagles. Mason Neck is a beautiful place. In the dead of winter about 15 years ago, I counted 19 mature eagles sitting on a sheet of ice at Mason Neck. Not bad for 25 miles from D.C.

[CrazyIvan]

I'm just a few miles from the Mississippi river in Ill. The bald eagles have made a huge comeback here. I've actually had one sit in a tree and watch me mow the lawn. No matter how many times I see one I'm still awed. I can tell one on the wing miles away just by the way they soar. They seem to pivot around their central axis while other raptors appear to pivot around a point. They get quite close under the right conditions and I've had one pass less than 30-40’ above me. At that range they look HUGE. If you want to get a good idea of their wingspan and shape picture taking a 4X8 piece of plywood and cutting it in half lengthwise.

[Cailleach]

Before the release there were at least 3 flying around the area. Our daughter said that they knew what was up and had come to welcome the new arrivals. One of the released ones went to a tree was still hanging out in it when we left...probably wondering when the people would be bringing supper. The guy said that these three had never fished and would have to learn by watching the others and possibly stealing from them. He also said that statistically, only one of the three would make it to maturity, maybe.

Hope you had a great time canoeing! We are probably going to have to break down and buy one. Our house is next to the Occoquan (great view from the deck and dining room from Oct-April and a nice view from the master bedroom all year), and the daughter has been very pointed in her observation that we are the only people she knows that do not own a boat of some type. hint hint, right? LOL

[Cailleach]

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