Golfers cheer eagle on 14th hole winging it from falconry show

AN EAGLE that escaped during a castle’s falconry show is on the loose.

Marvin, a Steller’s sea eagle, flew off in front of spectators during a display at Warwick Castle on Friday July 29.

Handlers have been trying to lure the bird back to the castle, because it is unlikely to survive for longer than a month in the wild.

They are hopeful of its return, after golfers spotted it basking in the sun on the fairway of the 14th hole at Stratford Park golf course in Stratford-uponavon, Warwickshire.

Tony Jackson, a local councillor, saw Marvin, which has an 8ft wingspan, as he walked his dog on Sunday.

He said: “I had been taking a footpath which takes you right across the golf course when I spotted a bird I had never seen before.

“It was rather striking and very large so I took some pictures not knowing what it was before it majestically flew away.

“It didn’t seem to be aggressive although to be fair I didn’t get that close just in case.

“It was only later when I posted it on social media that I learnt that Marvin had escaped from Warwick Castle and its handlers were searching for it. So I reported the sighting to the castle and hopefully it can make it safely back to where it belongs.

“It’s not every day you get to see one of the world’s largest birds of prey take off in front of you in the wild. It was quite special.”

Steller’s sea eagles, which are native to Russia, Korea, Japan, China and Taiwan, can weigh as much as 20lbs and have a wingspan of 8ft.

They are on the red list of globallythreatened birds and it is believed there are only 2,000 breeding pairs in the world.

Handlers have since been out searching in the areas where the 11-year-old bird has been sighted using food to try to entice it in.

Warwick Castle said Marvin posed no risk to other animals or the public.

‘It was rather striking and very large so I took some pictures not knowing what it was before it flew away’