Eagle lands on Mariners pitcher before game

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (FOX 13) - You have a keep a cool head to be a pitcher in Major League Baseball, but you need to be completely fearless to let a wayward bald eagle land on your shoulder and remain completely calm.

The left-handed pitcher for the Seattle Mariners, James Paxton is both.

During the opening ceremonies of a game against Minnesota Twins, a bald eagle was released and should have flown back to its handler. Instead, it landed on Paxton's shoulder.

Nicknamed Big Maple, Paxton has coincidentally starred in a commercial where he removes his ball cap to reveal a bird's nest containing eggs.

In the commercial, he looks at the eggs much more fondly than he did the eagle that mistook him for an actual maple tree.

The eagle's handler quickly came over to retrieve the bird and it appears Paxton suffered no ill effects from his brush with one of nature's most majestic creatures.