A Disturbance On The Open Water
Large brown wings slapped against the dark surface of the lake, churning the calm current into white froth.
A bald eagle paddled clumsily forward, its heavy flight feathers saturated with lake water. Each labored stroke kept its yellow beak barely above the ripples as exhaustion visibly pulled its shoulders downward.
From the bow of a bass boat, an angler knelt down on the carpeted deck. He gripped the edge of the gunwale, shifting his weight forward toward the splashing bird.
The bird turned its white head toward the hull. Instead of thrashing away, it slowed its strokes, its sharp eyes locked on the approaching fiberglass edge.
The man stretched his bare right hand out across the open air. He extended his open palm low, keeping his fingers steady just inches above the water.
Water droplets sprayed across the man’s sleeve as the bird beat its wings one more time, propelling itself within arm’s reach.
Reaching Across The Gunwale
The eagle’s hooked yellow beak remained parted, breath puffing out in short bursts. Its neck feathers were plastered down in slick, dark spikes.
Rather than lashing out with talons or beak, the eagle drifted against the boat’s side. It paused, letting its waterlogged tail sink low under the boat’s shadow.
The man moved his hand forward slowly. His fingertips lightly brushed the wet crown of the eagle’s head, smoothing the soaked white feathers flat against its skull.
The raptor tilted its chin upward into the touch. It closed its beak, settling its body against the fiberglass hull as the man’s fingers slid down to support its chest.
He placed a second hand along the bird’s flank, feeling the dense weight of water clinging to every layer of down.
With curved yellow talons floating uselessly below, the bird let out a soft wheeze and remained motionless against the angler’s grip.
Lifting Feathers From The Depths
Bracing his knees against the floorboards, the angler slid both hands beneath the eagle’s sodden wings, wrapping his palms around its ribs.
He exhaled deeply and hoisted the massive bird straight up out of the lake. Heavy streams of water poured from its dark feathers, cascading back into the lake below.
The eagle’s large, curved talons dangled loose in the open air, clearing the boat’s edge without scratching the finish or the man’s arms.
He pulled the bird over the gunwale, carefully guiding its heavy body onto the flat deck between two fishing rods.
The eagle’s oversized yellow feet touched the gray carpet, gripping the texture to balance its heavy, dripping frame.
The man kept his hands resting lightly against the bird’s sides, supporting its weight while its wet wings hung loosely down toward the floor.
Drips formed steady pools on the dark decking beneath the raptor’s tail feathers. The eagle stood upright beside the trolling motor, blinking slowly under the midday sky while the angler kept one hand steady against its chest.
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