Revisiting the Flight Center

Cindy and I went out to the Flight Center yesterday to inventory eagles. It was +18°f and there's only one small space heater in the food prep room. The same room where we do exams (left) and store two freezers full of salmon. There are 5 freezers in all out there to store fish. There are 15 eagles in some degree of residence out there right now.

This is their last stop before moving on. They might be released or they might be placed permanately in another facility. If they are being placed its because their injury has healed but it hasn't healed enough for them to be able to survive in the wild. They are disabled but still functionable. They can be used to educate people about eagles

In the shots where you see Cindy below, the area is called a cell. There are three cells 75 feet long and 30 feet wide. Cells A,B and C. In A there are eagles who can't or can barely fly. In B there are eagles who can fly but are far from graceful and in C there are the birds that aren't far from being released.

Over the top of each cell is streached fishing net. Some of the eagles like to hit it with their talons and hang and turn and fly the other direction as in the bottom picture. The net keeps the eagles in but doesn't harm them when they hit it.

The property is on loan from the U.S. Army National Guard since 1989. The building was there but the cells were added with material donated by Exxon during the Exxon Valdez Disaster. The cells were built by the community and Bird TLC Volunteers. It never closes. A volunteer visits everyday to feed and check on the eagles, holidays included.