Rescued Bald Eagle Released, Dedicated to the Olive Osmond Hearing Fund
From Martin Tyner, Founder of the Southwest Wildlife Foundation:
On Friday, January 27th, the eagle release was dedicated to the Olive Osmond Hearing Fund. An organization that helps underprivileged children receive hearing aids and other services, so that they may hear the sounds of music, their mother’s voice and their friend’s laughter.
Justin Osmond, Founder and CEO of Olive Osmond Hearing Fund and his father Merrill Osmond, lead singer and producer of the Osmond Family were chosen to release the eagle. At 3:30 Friday afternoon we invited everyone that would like to attend to meet us at Rush Lake Ranch, about 10 miles north of Cedar City along the Minersville Highway, to witness this beautiful eagles return to the sky.
The release site is about 8 miles from our rescue center. An old abandoned pioneer farm with a grove of large cottonwood trees. This is a favorite roosting site for the bald eagles that come down from Canada to spend the winters with us in Southern Utah.
There were over a hundred spectators that had come to watch the eagle release. As I got out of the car I pointed to the trees about two hundred yards away where there are three adult bald eagles, which had already arrived for their evening of rest in the large cottonwood trees. More eagles would be arriving soon. The largest group of eagles I’ve seen in that grove of trees at one time was 48 bald eagles in one sitting. This is the perfect place to release my newest eagle.
We gave Justin Osmond a moment to tell everyone about the Olive Osmond Hearing Fund and the amazing service they provide to under-privileged children with hearing loss. We walked a few steps over to the black rock wall that surrounds the property. I removed the hood from the eagles head and instructed Merrill Osmond to push the eagle away from him as the eagle is released, then she will soar back into the sky.
When I said to Mr. Osmond, “release the eagle”, she immediately took to the sky, flew hundreds of yards to the southwest and then turned to the north and landed at the top of the giant cottonwood trees with her fellow eagles.
We now wait for the next phone call, to rescue a sick, injured or orphaned wild critter. But in the meantime I will continue to provide wildlife programs to the schools, scouts, eagle courts of honors and community events with my best friend, a golden eagle named Scout, a 28 year old Harris Hawk named Thumper and a prairie falcon named Cirrus.
If anyone would like more information about our wildlife rescue or wildlife educational programs please contact us at: [email protected]
