White-tailed eagles spend a year caring for injured chick

Like many parents, Mr Sexton believes the adult white-tailed eagles will start to lose patience with the chick in the years ahead.

“They do a lot of scavenging so if it finds a dead deer or seal along the shore it will have a meal there and it will cope I think.

“Whether it’s able to hunt on its own is another matter,” he said.

The chick is able to stretch both wings out and soar, but can’t fly far at the moment.

Mr Sexton said it’s “sticking around” with its parents and they are “tolerating it”.

The chick is easily recognisable by its left wing which has a slight bend where the break happened.

Mr Sexton said he hopes the bird will survive through the winter.

“Whether we see it again, if it emerges next spring, well we’re just going to have to wait and see but fingers crossed.”