PATIENT: Bald Eagle, #10-2143
LOCATION: Dulles Intnernational Airport, Fairfax County, Virginia
CAUSE OF ADMISSION: Struck by plane?
ADMISSION DATE: October 25
PROGNOSIS: Extent of injuries to eyes will need to be assessed.
At about 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 21, a JetBlue flight departing Dulles International Airport in northern Virginia reported a bird strike during takeoff. The takeoff was aborted, and the plane returned to the gate for a damage inspection. At the same time, an adult Bald Eagle was found on the runway. The eagle was captured and turned over to a USDA official at Dulles, who in turn transferred the bird to local wildlife rehabilitator Kent Knowles.
On Monday, October 25, Knowles contacted the Wildlife Center about the Bald Eagle and took the bird to the Village Veterinary Clinic in Burke for an examination, including radiographs [no fractures were identified through these x-rays]. The father-and-son team of Ed Clark Sr. and Jr. [junior is the president and co-founder of the Wildlife Center] did a relay transport of the bird from northern Virginia to the Wildlife Center.
The eagle arrived at about 7:30 p.m. and was assigned Patient #10-2143 — the 18th eagle admitted for treatment thus far in 2010. Dr. Kelly Flaminio did a preliminary examination of the bird; the eagle was cleaned, weighed [3.01 kgs], received fluids and anti-inflammatories, and was stabilized for the evening.
On October 26, Dr. Kelly and the veterinary team did a more thorough examination of the eagle. Of concern are injuries to the eagle’s eyes — a possible retinal tear in the left eye, and hemorrhaging in the right eye. A blood sample was taken and tested; the eagle showed no signs of exposure to lead.
Dr. Kelly will re-examine the eagle later this week. The bird will be anesthetized for another round of radiographs and a more thorough examination of its eyes.
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