Weymouth will be all of a flutter next week with the first public appearance of a rare baby Crowned Eagle and sightings of a spectacular Steller’s Sea Eagle.
The giant fish-eating Steller’s Sea Eagle from eastern Russia, Japan and Korea is one of a number of large birds of prey flying daily at Weymouth Sea Life Adventure Park from Saturday, June 2nd to Sunday, June 10th.
Along with a Bald Eagle, a Eurasian Griffon Vulture, a Milky Eagle Owl and even England’s first ever captive-bred Crowned Eagle, it will be featuring in a display by falconer Chris O’Donnell.
“The Bald Eagle is also a fish-eater,” said the Park’s Fiona Smith. “It’s lucky all our fish tanks are indoors!”
Owner of one of the largest collections of Eagles in the UK, Chris is the resident falconer at Warwick Castle, and a good friend of Sea Life Park boss and former Castle general manager Craig Dunkerley.
“He has agreed to come and give our visitors an extra treat over the Whitsun holidays,” said Fiona.
“The only birds we usually have on the park are our Humboldt Penguins, and though they are certainly very agile underwater they obviously don’t get off the ground.
“The Steller’s Sea Eagle is bigger than a Golden Eagle with striking black and white plumage and is going to look absolutely amazing flying too and fro’ across the Park.”
The baby Crowned Eagle is Chris’s pride and joy and only about the sixth in the world bred and reared in captivity.
