Brothers pose for epic selfie after rescuing bald eagle
Digital Reporter
Sunday, November 29, 2015, 3:10 PM - Michael and Neil Fletcher of Sudbury, Ont., were on the hunt for grouse earlier this week when they stumbled across a bald eagle stuck in a trap.
The brothers noticed several ravens circling by when they found the large white-headed bird attached to a stake near Windy Lake.
"It was relieving to see that it was still alive," Neil Fletcher told CBC. "I knew we had to do something right away."
After debating whether or not to call the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, the brothers decided to slowly approach the bird. Michael placed his sweater over the eagle's head to keep it calm while they worked on the release mechanism of the trap.
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"At first the eagle was a bit nervous to have my brother and myself there," Fletcher told CBC. "As soon as he realized we were trying to help he kind of calmed down a little bit. His head would kind of move back and forth to look at us but that was the most he'd do."
They managed to capture the event on camera and said it fascinating how the bird was co-operating without a fuss.
Me and Neil found this eagle in a trap
Posted by Michael Fletcher on Tuesday, November 24, 2015
After a few attempts, Neil and Michael were successful in releasing the bird.
Before setting the eagle free, Neil suggested taking a selfie with it.
"I knew this would never happen again, so before we let it go, I told my brother Michael, 'we should take a picture with it.' The bird had its mouth open, but he never tried to fly or bite or do anything," Neil told CBC.
Neil lifted the eagle to shoulder height and after a little push, the bird flew to a nearby tree. The brothers watched for about 10 to 15 minutes before taking off.
Posted by Michael Fletcher on Tuesday, November 24, 2015
"Me and my brother, we've always been in the bush, always been hunters. And we've always had a lot of respect for bald eagles," said Neil. "We were just really amazed, and still are."
The bald eagle is Canada's largest bird of prey with an average wingspan of about two metres.
Source: CBC | The Sudbury Star
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