Spare a thought for the three eaglets of Norfolk, Virginia, whose mother was killed by a plane in April, forcing the triplets to be raised by hand.
WVEC television reports (with a nice video) that the eagles were released, along with two other orphans, three days ago. Two of them appear to have taken to the air well, and are hanging around in the area, while the third, a female fitted with a radio transmitter, had a “failure to launch,” presumably based on inexperience and overheating. She’ll be returned to the rehab center pending a relaunch in the next two weeks.
Woo-hoo!
And, dang — they’re huge! How’d they do that so fast?
b&
Interesting. We had our youngest of three “eaglets”, (also a female) suffer a “failure to launch this week. She too continued to “hang around” the “nest” We’re not sure if it is due to “inexperience or overheating” (however, her Father is definitely overheating due to the “failure”). There will be no “rehab” for her (been there, done that). She was immediatly returned to the wild. Such is life.
Well, congrats!
I guess…
At least you can get rid of the down on the nest floor.
NX, who failed to launch, is also the eagle(t) with a transmitter. Clearly overstressed from the 2 hour trek, the fitting and the heat, she is now doing fine in the original flight cage and will be released on the 50 acre property next door to the WCV, to minimize stress.
Great news! I had been periodically watching the nest-cam and it was such a sad day when I found out that the female had been killed. The release is a wonderful milestone and a fitting end to what could have been a very disappointing and tragic outcome. Kudos to those who nursed them and cared for them. There is sometimes a good side to we humans.