It is a rare and awe-inspiring moment to witness a raptor being returned to the wild.
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Michael Hooper, who found the injured juvenile white-bellied sea eagle, and the crew from WIRES, marvelled from a distance as the bird noisily extended its impressive wing span and returned to the sky.
Mr Hooper found the bird while he was walking his dogs in the forest near his property in North Narooma on November 26, 2022.
"We heard a rustling in the undergrowth and there was this sea eagle which obviously had a broken wing," he said.
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Because it was Saturday he rang the WIRES hotline and WIRES volunteer Renate Cooper came to the site.
After carefully containing the bird she discovered its wing had a compound fracture.
The bird, nicknamed Roo, was taken to WIRES Mid South Coast raptor coordinator Sandy Collins who rehydrated her and dispensed antibiotics and pain medication.
Roo was treated by a vet in Wollongong and then transferred to Raptor Recovery Australia.
Preparing raptors for release
Ms Collins said injured birds must hit many goals before they can be released.
She said the Raptor Recovery Centre, which is a charity, works very hard to help the raptors prepare to return to the wild.
They have a huge circular aviary where the birds build their flight fitness and there is a shade cloth to minimise interaction with humans.
They supply the birds with food in the aviary, leaving it to the birds to find the food and compete with each other for it.
"The centre does an amazing job," Ms Collins said.
"At busy times they have 30 to 40 birds there."
Very good chance of survival
Ms Collins said Roo's chances of survival are as good as any other juvenile white-bellied sea eagle.
"We only release an animal that is 100 percent prepared," she said.
Roo was released on Thursday, August 3, near Black Bream Point where a pair of sea eagles are firmly established.
They are very territorial.
"Hopefully Roo's juvenile coloration will give her a bit of a better chance.
"I don't think her parents would recognise her," Ms Collins said.
Ms Collins said in her four to five years as raptor coordinator she has seen very few white-bellied sea-eagles.
Owls, kestrels and goshawks are far more commonly injured.
Mr Hooper praised Ms Cooper for keeping him updated on Roo's progress.
"She has been the cornerstone of the operation."
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