Bald Eagle - British Columbia / Hornby Island

[Jo]

Update from: http://www.hornbyeagles.com/index.htm

This morning July 17th, we received the preliminary findings from the necropsy performed on Phoenix.

Phoenix was a female. She died from acute bilateral mycotic pneumonia.  Other tests results will become available over the next week, and will confirm the causative agent.  Because Phoenix's death was caused by an infectious disease, sadly, she cannot be returned to Hornby Island for interment.

We owe a debt of gratitude to Maj Birch (Mountainaire Avian Rescue), Dr. Schwantje (wildlife veterinarian, British Columbia Ministry of Environment) and Dr. Bowes (avian pathologist for the British Columbia Animal Health Laboratory) for their dedication and determination to learn as much from Phoenix as they could.

A.J.L.,
on behalf of Doug Carrick and the Hornby Eagle Group.

Terms:
Acute: rapid onset
Bilateral: both lungs
Mycotic: fungal
Pneumonia: inflammatory lung condition

[sami]

Past sad. I haven't been watching this site, but to read the many posts by people who have been watching and are so affected by the chick's death - how tragic. How fragile life is.

[Jo]

How very sad.
 
Another lovely tribute to Phoenix
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSdMt7Ngd0U

[allikat]

This is very sad! 
I just read on the forum page that many thought Phoenix was ill.  Some heard him sneezing, weezing, breathing heavily and rapidly. 
I'm sure we'll all read what really happened shortly!

[Kinderchick]

...Pheonix died in the nest following chest trauma due to a fall against the camera(?) and that an autopsy is planned....

Oh no! This is shocking and so very sad!   I can hardly believe it! I often watched Phoenix with the Kinderchicklets! This is so so sad!  

[Pam]

This really has been a tough year......

[Ellie]

Such sadness these past couple of days.  Sorry to hear about Phoenix.  He was such a cute chick.  Loved his white blow away hair-do.  Sad also that his parents have lost their "family" and because of their age we do not know if a nest will raise young again.  Nature at work again!

[bcbird]

There is a lot of information on the forum http://www.ournaturezone.com/index.php and links, including a hot spot of the special climber retrieving Phoenix' body.  The results of the necropsy will be posted.  So much shared grief and a lot of support on the forum.  It is very, very sad.

[RCF]

This is very sad to hear, there has been so much loss this year.   

[AnimalLover]

They said something about a fish head he ate   it is so sad I was looking at some videos of him when he was first born very hard to watch now.

There is a post by Raptorman @

http://www.ournaturezone.com/index.php?topic=11.2325

http://www.wildearth.tv/static/wildearth/channels/we_hornby_eagles.html

Some extra info I thought you might be interested = http://www.hornbyeagles.com/hornbyisland.htm

[bcbird]

I haven't the heart to watch all the video clips, but understand that Pheonix died in the nest following chest trauma due to a fall against the camera(?) and that an autopsy is planned.  This is so very, very sad.  

[AnimalLover]

Sorry some very sad news I read tonight.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hornby-Eagles/254414002453?ref=sgm

[Jo]

http://tinyurl.com/PhoenixJuly11

At 9:24 some major wingersizing.  Phoenix will be 11 weeks old on Thursday (Jul 15). Eaglets fledge between 11-13 weeks - historically the Hornby Eaglets fledge at 12 weeks.

[Jo]

Time for some cuteness from Phoenix :http://tinyurl.com/PhoenixJun24

At 2:45 Phoenix does a hop-hop-hop to the edge of the nest . . .then at 6:00 finds the bones of something and carries it around the nest - for the next 2-3 minutes.

Hatch date was April 29th - so Phoenix is 8 weeks old today. . . so I had to look up fledge info:

From http://www.hornbyeagles.com/eaglefaq.htm#E:
Nest departure as early as 8 weeks of age has been reported, but 11 to 13 weeks appear to be the most common ages.  The Hornby eaglets have usually fledged at 12 weeks of age. In 2009, the chick fledged at 85 days of age (the exact age reported in Doug’s book).

[Jo]

Some very serious wingersizing!

At 4:00 - 5:00 (not much after Phoenix settles down)

http://tinyurl.com/PhoenixJun17