EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- When Brianna Sewell, a Jackson Guard biologist, lifted her binoculars to her eyes, she saw a messy tangle of feathers.
That mess turned out to be two exhausted juvenile bald eagles trapped together by a large fishing lure embedded deep in both birds’ toes.
Sewell used the binoculars to learn what her and Caden Retherford, her partner in the natural resources office, were approaching after receiving a call the morning of Oct. 16. A base employee reported the distressed birds of prey close to the fence line near Eglin’s east gate.
“It was crucial we act fast before their health became an issue,” said Sewell, who’s caught and released birds of prey before, but never a bald eagle. “The eagles would have certainly expired if not for human intervention.”
Ensuring conservation for the bald eagle is a Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act regulatory requirement, that obligates federal agencies like Eglin to ensure the protection of these birds of prey.
After approaching and assessing the scene, the biologists decided to separate the approximately 3-year-old eagles by removing plastic fishing lure but not removing the barbs from the birds’ toes.
“We did not want to try to remove the hooks on site as it was unclear if there was internal damage to tendons within the toes,” said Retherford, an avian research associate, who grew up in the Eglin area. “Raptors, bald eagles specifically, rely on their talons to catch their prey, so an injury like this could negatively impact their overall health after being released.”
The biologists, with help from 96th Security Forces Squadron Airmen, safely untangled the eagles and secured them in crates for further care at Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge in Navarre.
After x-rays, the eagles underwent light sedation, and the hooks were removed.
“Luckily, the barbed hooks were only lodged in fatty tissue, which meant both eagles would have a fast recovery and could be released the same day,” said Sewell, who grew up recreating on the Eglin reservation, but says now she has her dream job of working with the area’s natural resources.
Sewell and Retherford drove the eagles back to Camp Pinchot, a few miles from Eglin’s main base location, for release due to its central location to active bald eagle nests monitored by Jackson Guard. The release went seamlessly with both eagles taking flight immediately and one going directly to a nearby nest atop a longleaf pine tree.
“Being able to take care of a situation like this with little to no complications is the most rewarding feeling when working with protected wildlife,” said Sewell. “Watching the eagles take flight at the end of the day, knowing that the Natural Resources Office was responsible for their well-being was a great feeling.”