Bald eagle lands on Mariners pitcher during national anthem

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (WSVN) — An eagle landed on a Seattle Mariners player during the national anthem, instantly lighting up social media.

The bird flew through the Minnesota Twins stadium before the game during the national anthem, only to land on pitcher James Paxton instead of its handler.

The eagle’s handler quickly retrieved the bird, but many praised Paxton for remaining remarkably calm.

The Mariners had fun with the incident, tweeting a video afterward showing Paxton taking off his hat, only to reveal bird eggs in a nest inside. The video (sans nest) originally came from a commercial for the team.