On July 2, a young Bald Eagle was found down on the ground in Reedville, Virginia. Animal control officer Kevin Keeve rescued the bird and took it to permitted rehabilitator Diana O’Connor. The eagle was covered in a sticky, tarry substance – most of its flight feathers, body feathers, and tail feathers were completely covered. Diana bathed the bird twice to remove the substance, but was very worried about the young eaglet’s stress level. Volunteer transporter Linnie was called to make the long drive with the eaglet to the Wildlife Center.
Admitted as patient #13-1740, the Bald Eagle was quiet upon arrival. Dr. Dana Tedesco, the Center’s veterinary intern, examined the bird when it arrived. Other than the obvious (but unidentified) tarry substance on the eagle, Dr. Dana found the young bird to be thin and dehydrated. Because of the long drive and stressful situation, Dr. Dana simply rehydrated and tube-fed the bird on the afternoon of July 3.
On July 4, Dr. Dana and Dr Kristin, the Center’s new veterinary intern, plan to sedate the eaglet to bathe it. They will first pre-treat the substance with canola oil and then will bathe the eagle in multiple tubs of a diluted Dawn dish soap solution.