NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — It's not the update we hoped to share with you.
A 12-week-old eaglet at Radnor Lake State Park, which captivated park guests since it first learned to fly, has passed away from her injuries after a fight to save her life.
About two weeks ago, a large crowd gathered at an observation deck along the lake trail each morning to see if an American Bald Eaglet, only 11 weeks old at the time, was ready to take its first-ever flight. When the magical moment finally happened, only a local school teacher enjoying his summer break was able to catch it on video.
Last week, we got some bad news. While the eaglet was learning to fly, she was found injured by park staff. She was rushed to a specialized raptor rehabilitation center in East Tennessee for treatment by park manager Steve Ward.
The eaglet showed a positive sign in her recovery by eating Saturday morning.
A TDEC spokesperson called Monday to confirm that the eaglet didn't make it, despite a valiant effort to save her.
A tough year for eagles at Radnor
It's been a challenging year for the native eagles at Radnor Lake State Park. The mom and dad have called Radnor Lake home for the last four years. They are the first native eagles in park history. The pair had two little eggs in the nest over the winter, but those were lost as well. "The nest collapsed on February 14th during some storms," said Ward. "We found the nest destroyed; it was sheared in half, and we had lost two eggs."
The whole staff was distraught. But within 24 hours, the mom and dad started rebuilding their nest on the same tree, just about 10 feet higher. A few weeks later, they had a new baby on the way. It was the same eaglet that passed away.
Hope for the future
Thankfully, those native eagles still call Radnor Lake home and may continue to breed together. Typically, breeding activity happens during the winter months, and eggs start to appear in the nest around late winter time frame. Hopefully, that's what happens early next year.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Chris.Davis@NewsChannel5.com.
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