ast spring, I received a call from
conservation offi cer Matt Seitz
who asked me to pick up an
eagle that had fallen from a nest
near Barneston. Although I was on
vacation at the time, I couldn't pass up
the opportunity to hold a baby eagle.
I said I would get it and went out to
meet the farmer who knew where the
bird was located.
Gary Remmers was working in
his fi eld on April 27 when he noticed
something yellow and out of place
on the ground. Remmers stopped his
tractor and moved closer to inspect. To
his astonishment, a large ball of fl uff
with large talons and a huge bill sat
before him. Remmers called his son,
Justin, who assisted him with the baby
bald eagle. Justin told me that when he
got there, he noticed an eagle's nest 40
feet up in a nearby tree. Adult eagles
circled and screamed at them as they
picked up the young bird.
Justin agreed to meet me in Wymore.
I was expecting to see a small ball of
white fl uff or a bird that was nearly
ready to fl edge. I did not expect a
prehistoric-looking, chicken-like thing
with gray, wool-like feathers covering
its body. The baby eagle's down felt
like a sheep's coat. The bird was calm
when we made the transfer at Rex
Adams' home in Wymore. We took a
few photos, and from there, I went on
my way to Fontenelle Forest's Raptor
Recovery in Elmwood.
Betsy and Doug Finch waited for my
arrival. Betsy looked for injuries on
the exam table while speaking to the
bird in a comforting, assuring tone. It
seemed to understand and stood up
as tall as it could, spreading its nubby
wings as if to say "all good." Betsy
found no injuries, which was amazing
since this bird had no wings that could
help it to glide down to the ground. To
prevent the young bird from imprinting
on humans, Betsy fed it a small meal
with an adult eagle in view.
Raptor Recovery decided not to
return the bird to the nest. For one thing,
fi nding a way to get it there would be a
feat, and secondly, we did not know if
another eaglet had pushed this bird out
of the nest while competing for food. It
was lucky to survive one fall without
injury. We did not want to take a chance
on another one.
For the next few months, Raptor
Conservation offi cer Dina Barta picks up a baby eagle that
Justin Remmers and his father rescued on their farm.
L
Betsy Finch examines the eaglet for injuries at Fontenelle
Forest's Raptor Recovery in Elmwood.
Story and photos by Dina Barta Story and photos by Dina Barta
Just an Eagle
44 Nebraskaland • April 2020
