Local residents treat sick, injured eagles

GRAVETTE - A pleasant pastime for area residents during the cold winter months is occasionally traveling backroads along Spavinaw Creek, visiting the nature trail at SWEPCO Lake near Gentry or circling along the Beaver Lake shoreline. Thepurpose? Eagle watching!

From November to March, exchanging information such as, “I saw more than 20 eagles down on Spavinaw,” or, with excitement, “I watched an eagle swoop down and grab a fish out of SWEPCO Lake,” or “I know that was an eagle nest I saw over on Beaver Lake. I wonder if they’ll use it again this summer.”

Now almost all of the eagles, which winter in northwest Arkansas, have “flown the coop” to their nesting grounds up north. And sightings of the beautiful birds will be rare during the long, hot summer days just ahead.

Protecting eagles is a way of life for area residents and, since they are a “protected species,” caring for our national birds is more than just a pastime.

To folks at Lowell Pharmacy, owned by John Lykins of Gravette, that is more than a pastime. Their work includes treating eagles for lead poisoning which can occur when a bird ingests lead through lures or when one is crippled by buckshot - something that should never occur but sometimes does.

John and his assistant pharmacist explained: “We have treated two eagles this year for lead poisoning. We compound a medication to remove the lead from the bird’s system. We furnish the medication for free.”

It isn’t available commercially, he added.

Lynn Sciumbato, who treats animals and birds at her Morning Star facility southeast of Gravette, works with DeeDee Moore, D.V.M., of Faithful Friends Animal Clinicin Rogers, who is administering the treatment.

Lynn is shown holding a wounded eagle while DeeDee injects the healing serum into the injured bird. In the other photo, pharmacist James Garland prepares the serum for injection.

Friends of eagles, such as those at Lowell Pharmacy, Morning Star and Faithful Friends are doing their part to protect the species, helping make sure there will always be eagles to watch along Spavinaw, at SWEPCO and along Beaver Lake. And, perhaps, eagle watchers may even be able to see a pair of eagles raise a family.

News, Pages 4 on 05/01/2013