Three juvenile eagles were released Thursday afternoon east of Williams Lake after being transported by Bandstra from the Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society’s (OWL) centre in Delta where they had been rehabilitated.
“The birds were sent down for flight time in our large flight area the length of a football field, and spent time on our pool cage stocked with live trout to practice,” bird cage supervisor Martina Versteeg of OWL told the Tribune. “They were sent to us from Tammy from 2nd Chance. The Bald Eagles had wing injuries, foot injuries and one didn’t want to eat and was thin.”
Sue Burton, a Williams Lake volunteer for 2nd Chance Wildlife Shelter in Quesnel, picked up the eagles from Bandstra for their release.
“I released them away from roads, garbage dumps and ranches,” Burton said.
As Burton released the eagles with help from her partner, one of them immediately flew into a tree and grabbed a stick.
“It was kind of neat,” Burton said. “I want to thank Bandstra for the transport and Dr. Doug Magnowski at the Animal Care Hospital in Williams Lake for his care.”