The eagle has landed
Wild raptor strikes a pose after landing on fishermen’s boat
VANCOUVER — In the picture, the eagle’s golden-yellow talons curl on the edge of the boat. Derril McKenzie, a millwright from Kelowna, B.C., smiles into the camera, leaning in to get both the eagle, seemingly unfazed, and himself into the shot.
The story of how the amateur fisherman came to pose with an eagle began the morning of Aug. 31 on a routine annual fishing trip to Gardom Lake just outside of Salmon Arm, B.C. McKenzie and his son started fishing about five years ago as a way to get fresh air and sunshine. However, on that Friday McKenzie’s son slept in and he was joined instead by his brother-in-law, Dean Wirachousaky.
“All of a sudden the eagle came out of nowhere. I noticed it just out of the corner of my eye and thought it was a crow, and then as it got closer I thought it was a raven. And then I could see as it spread its wings out that it was bigger than that. And it plunked itself on the bow of the boat.”
McKenzie said his first reaction was total surprise and shock. “So, you have this big bird … I think it’s about the size of a turkey,” he said.
The bird, which McKenzie called Eddie, might have been fed before from a boat and was probably looking for fish.
His brother-in-law revved the engine, thinking the eagle might take off if the boat speeds up. The eagle did take flight as the boat sped but decided to land on McKenzie’s head.
When he put his arms up to protect himself, the bird gave him a little nudge, much like a budgie would do, he said. “It wasn’t aggressive. If it wanted to hurt us I’m pretty sure it could have.”
His brother-in-law decided to give the bird a tiny nudge with the oar because he didn’t know what the bird might do next.
So, the bird jumped in the water and swam back to shore, then flew up to a branch.
“It’s a life experience. It’ll never leave my memory that’s for sure. People at work are calling me the eagle whisperer.”