Mourning an American Icon

I have been watching, along with thousands of people around the world, the two American bald eagles at the Norfolk Botanical Garden on the "eagle-cam." We have watched the mother sit on three eggs, seen the eggs hatch, and watched the babies being fed, and then feeding themselves. Tuesday, the eaglets lost their Mom. "The plane strike happened sometime between 8:30 and 8:50 a.m. A US Airways regional jet coming from Philadelphia was preparing to land at 8:50 when the pilot reported the bird strike.
Shank (Who is Shank? Is it the pilot, or a spokesman for the Norfolk airport?) says the eagle was reportedly feeding at Lake Whitehurst with another eagle when the strike was reported. The plane landed safely and no one was hurt, said Shank. He added that there was minor damage to the aircraft. Shank told WVEC.com that this is the second eagle strike in several weeks and fourth in 10 years; the others occurring in 2005 and 2002. Shank said the airport is working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife office to see if anything can be done to protect airline passengers and wildlife.
The mother's remains are still at Norfolk Airport in a refrigerator until the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials decide what to do with them. He notes that the Norfolk Botanical Garden would like to have it mounted for display and that process has been started.

Wildlife Center Of Virginia Eaglet Care Plan:

The three eaglets will be placed in an artificial nest that has been constructed in the Center’s 200-foot eagle flight cage. Other adult Bald Eagle patients may also be in this enclosure. While the chicks will be separated by a physical barrier from direct contact with other eagles, the eaglets will be able to see other eagles flying and feeding. As they begin to fledge, the barrier will be removed and the young eagles will have full access to the long enclosure, to build their wing strength and to learn to fly. The goal would be to get the young eagles ready for release back into the wild in late summer."

While the father eagle fed the eaglets late Tuesday evening and early Wednesday morning, it was decided that he would be unable to meet the feeding needs of the three eaglets, whose appetites will increase exponentially within the next few weeks. It was decided by wildlife experts that it was best to move the hatchlings to the Wildlife Center in Waynesboro. - Goodbye, Mama. We're doing our best to save your babies.