Johns Island Conservancy

The Center for Birds of Prey in Awendaw is a great place to learn about and see a variety of raptors. The Center is located 22 miles north of Charleston.

Johns Island eagle

Recently during a live demonstrations their bald eagle “escaped”. The eagle, while able to fly, is physically impaired and can not survive in the wild. Fortunately, the eagle has a radio transmitter which can be used to track it. But it is no easy task to follow a bird that can fly 35mph cross country. Two days after losing track of the wayward eagle, the Center was able to procure the services of a private pilot with a small plane and install their tracking equipment. After a wide ranging search they were able to locate the eagle at Trophy Lake in the center of Johns Island and called in ground reinforcements.

Audrey Poplin with hawk at South East Wildlife Exposition, February, 2012

The eagle was exhausted from its adventure but still playing hard to get. Audrey Poplin, the Center’s husbandry coordinator, was finally able to capture it with an offer of chicken as bait. Given its brief taste of freedom, the eagle’s future as an entertainer will be reevaluated. But for now it is safe at home where it needs to be to survive.

For more on this story see the article in the Post & Courier.