GOLDEN POND, Ky. (October 8, 2026) – In early September, a surprising discovery in Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area’s Elk & Bison Prairie led to a life-or-death struggle for an American bald eagle.
Amid the sights and sounds of roaming wildlife, volunteers with the prairie’s Bugle Corps noticed an injured bald eagle late in the day. Thanks to their report and the quick actions of Land Between the Lakes (LBL) staff, the raptor was found, safely caught and transported for evaluation.
Nicklaus Willis, an environmental interpreter with LBL’s Woodlands Nature Station and Friends of Land Between the Lakes employee responded to assist. Having had years of training handling raptors, Willis helped find and capture the eagle after sunset. He is grateful his experience has taught him how to approach a scared animal and prevent what could have been a dangerous situation.
Tim Johnson, a longtime Bugle Corps volunteer, worked alongside Willis to carefully follow the injured eagle and cover it with a blanket to safely secure its wings and talons. Johnson was also the first to discover the eagle.
“It’s our job to monitor the prairie, keep visitors and wildlife safe and to help the public understand the importance of this ecosystem,” he said. “I feel like we did our job well today and are thankful the eagle recovered and is back flying over LBL.”
Johnson then transported the eagle to the Raptor Rehabilitation of Kentucky Inc. (RROKI) facility in Louisville, Ky. The male bird was treated for wounds from an apparent tangle with another eagle. RROKI provided further evaluation, tests and ongoing care to ensure a full recovery. The bird was then sent to the Lake Cumberland Wildlife Refuge in Somerset, Ky., for flight rehabilitation. Based on the eagle’s health and flying ability, the decision was made that the bird would fully recover and should be released back into the wild in LBL.
“I am truly humbled by the beauty, majesty, and power of these birds. I am grateful to the experience I’ve built at the Woodlands Nature Station that helped me in this endeavor,” said Willis. “I am in awe of the team at Raptor Rehab for bringing this young eagle back to health and back to LBL, and mostly, I am proud and overjoyed at being a part of such a beautiful moment.”
LBL estimates its eagle population numbers between 100-150 annually with an increase to 250-300 in the winter months. For years, the Woodlands Nature Station has conducted eagle tours in the winter, highlighting the best locations to view the birds across LBL. https://www.landbetweenthelakes.us/outdoors-recreation/birding/
The release of the bald eagle was a true joint effort between the Forest Service, Friends of Land Between the Lakes and the RROKI to return it to the wild. The discovery of any wounded wildlife should be reported to local wildlife authorities for proper care and treatment.
