I am deeply saddened to be writing this post, but here is what I know.

This morning while getting ready to go to the rest, I pulled up the eagle cam so I would know if something was brought in before I got there. Upon seeing the cam, there was no chick. I left immediately and may have broke one or more traffic laws in getting to the nest. Several people were setting up and shooting Hiram and Julia in the cannon tree. They were squawking away. I ran straight to the nest tree and spotted what I had feared the whole trip to the nest. I kept telling myself, maybe its just sitting on limb, even though it was still too young. No, it had fallen from the nest, hitting several limbs on the way down. Don Holland came down and went and checked on it and it was still alive. We both put our phones into action to get help. People at 6:30 on Saturday morning don’t answer phones for so reason. I called the sheriffs office to see if they could dispatch a TWRA agent and get in touch with the park rangers. Stacy arrived shortly after, as did TWRA and Marcus. They wrapped the bird in a blanket and carried it behind the Alabama monument to get it out of the sun. Stacy’s wife arrived with a turkey baster so they could give it water. The chick seemed really happy to get the water. It seemed like the bird had good movement of his head and neck. It appeared most of the damage occurred to the wings. I videoed all this on my iphone, but I can’t show it to you because I forget to hit the record button. The adults were watching everything, it seems Hiram was more distraught than Julia. They circled the tree and squawked. Land in the cannon tree and scream, then circle more. If all goes the same as it was two years ago when the chicks fell, they will fly around today and tomorrow and then taper off at being at the nest. The birds stay at the park year round, but you don’t see them till roosting time.

Marcus loaded the chick in his vehicle to carry it to Union University to the Edward P. Hammons center for scientific studies. Click here for link. After the bird has been checked out it will be determined on where it goes next, it was mentioned the bird of prey rehab center in Memphis.

It is amazing this bird is alive, its chances of ever being in the wild will be slim, but hey, being in a zoo or being used to teach and inform people about eagle ain’t a bad gig. It’s better than the alternative. The park has been recording the cam overnight, a lesson learned from two years. They recorded the last 4 nights, but for some reason it wasn’t on last night. At least we would have know what time it fell and how long it had been there. The most time it could be would be 8hrs, I saw it last night at 8 eating a fish and this morning it was gone at 6

Marcus has promised to keep us updated on the diagnoses and progress and when I hear something you will.

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I didn’t post but one shot of the baby, to show his eyes open and alert. The light was beautiful on Hiram and Julia as they flew around but my heart just wasn’t into it.

As I said the year before last, this is not the end, and they will be back. My wife seems disappointed, not about the birds, but because I will be spending more time at home. LOL

——UPDATE——–

Shiloh park is reporting the eaglet has a compound fracture of the right wing and everything else is ok, he is going to have to undergo surgery to correct it. Good news!!!!!

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Only went this afternoon and in the 4 hrs I was there I managed a measly 42 shots.The light was good at times and bad at time, and you guessed it, the birds don’t fly in good light, Julia brought the fish in at about 7:30. I thought real hard about not posting at all, but I had to much time invested.

One fish while I was there this evening.

Two fish this morning.

Thursday I missed a shot because of focus problems. I have been noticing it getting worse. I t would be almost impossible to focus on clouds or far off birds like a hawk or buzzard. Thursday night I order two new focus screens, one to install and one in case I screwed up, this morning after returning home, they were here. It took about 5 min. to install and clean mirror and sensor (with the right stuff). And wow! what an improvement. These pics don’t reflect that, but it is.

When I returned at 1:30, both birds were gone, at 2:00 an adult flew over high and non-stop, 10 mins. later, two birds came flying up the field, the one on right is Hiram, I don’t know if the other was Julia or a stray. Hiram stayed in the top of the nest tree till the other bird left, then he left too. He returned 20 mins. later with turtle, while I was watching them eat it, Julia flew in with a fish. They both left going to the river and so did I. While I was there looking around, the eagle flew over my head with a fish (no shot) and I checked the webcam from my phone and it was, It only took about 5mins for all that to take place. I left at 4:30.