What is normally an uneventful trip into Boyd on Cty Hwy D turned into a rescue mission Monday afternoon, September 1. While driving north, a local resident noticed a large bird sitting on the side of the road, near a roadkill deer. After driving past, he noticed it was a young eagle. Since the bird hadn’t moved when he passed it, he turned around and headed back to check it out. While getting out of his truck, a motorcycle with a man and woman from the Stanley area stopped. They discussed the injured eagle and figured the eagle had been struck by a vehicle while trying to fly off the dead deer. They called the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office to see what could be done. Then a young lady stopped and said she knew someone from Colfax that was involved in bird rescue. However, when she talked to her friend, the friend was out of town and unable to help. She thought the closest rescue facility was in the Twin Cities. Those at the scene, concerned about the safety of the bird, discussed moving the eagle away from the road, so one of the men got an old sweatshirt from his vehicle and put it over the head, while the other got a blanket to cover the whole bird. They then gently picked the bird up and moved it into the driveway of a nearby hay field. Chippewa County Sheriff’s office then contacted the Winged Freedom Raptor Hospital, located in Spooner, and they sent a rescue person to pick up the injured bird. On Tuesday, September 2, a call was made to Dennis, a volunteer from the Raptor Hospital, and he said the eagle was a juvenile female, being born this year, and weighing about 10 lbs. He said when they got the eagle, its left eye was closed and it was quite groggy. The veterinarian said it has a head injury, most likely the result of being struck by a vehicle. They were treating the young bird with pain killers and medication but did not know if it would survive.

The Winged Freedom Raptor Hospital is a nonprofit organization that is funded 100% by donations. They are in the process of building a new Bald Eagle Enclosure to be used for their ambassador Bald Eagle, Invictus. Their website, www.Wingedfreedomrh.com states, “Our goal is to provide the best care possible for these recovering birds, so we do not pay ourselves. All rescue, transport, veterinary care and food is donated.” Their website also provides stories of raptors they have cared for and released back into the wild, including eagles, great horned owls, barred owls and snowy owls. They also have a Facebook page which states they have had over 200 raptors admitted so far this year, setting a new record. If anyone is interested in volunteering, you can contact them at 715-205-4266. Dennis said they always have a need for volunteers to pick up and transport injured birds, and they will provide necessary training. Volunteers must be 18 years or older. They are also always in need of food for their patients. If interested, please visit their website or Facebook page for additional information.

The eagle remains at the Raptor Hospital.