He really DID spread his wings! Eagle ends up 300 miles away from display
HE is normally a majestic sight in the skies above Kent, but when Rex the eagle decided to spread his wings, he ended up 300 miles away in North Yorkshire.
Stellar Sea Eagle Rex escaped to take a 300 mile journey
The two year old Steller's sea eagle with an 8ft wingspan, was taking part in a display at the Eagle Heights Wildlife Foundation in Eynsford, Kent, on Sunday with trainer Johnny Ames.
His usual trick is to climb to 2,000 feet before wowing the crowds by plummeting back to earth at 90mph.
But this time he flapped off.
It was one hell of a journey
His GPS tracker placed him 4,000 feet above central London but then the signal went dead.
Hopes were fading until the centre got a call two days later from a wildlife centre in Redcar who had seen their alert on Facebook.
At the end of his long haul flight, Rex had been spotted perched on the roof of a caravan in Guisborough.
He was taking part in a display at the Eagle Heights Wildlife Foundation
He took off again before he could be captured, but was eventually lured back with the promise of some raw chicken.
When the bird eventually returned to his trainer, he was tired, confused and hungry but unharmed.
Craig Wesson of the Kirkleatham Owl Centre who spotted the missing bird of prey said: "It was one hell of a journey.
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His usual trick is to climb to 2,000 feet before plummeting back down
"To travel that far in such a short space of time is remarkable."
Rex went missing last year but stayed close to home and returned of his own accord.
His trainer believes something spooked him and by the time he calmed down, he was hopelessly lost.
His trainer believes something spooked him
Johnny Ames, 31, said: "For something so big, he's just a wuss.
"He's even nervous of crows. I'll give him a few days rest and then take him out again if he seems calm. He's a magnificent sight."