'Covered in blood': Woman in good spirits after eagle attack in Campbell River, B.C.

To say Campbell River, B.C., woman Chelsea Cheeba is an eagle fan would be an understatement. She loves photographing the majestic birds.

"All the time," she told CTV News on Friday. "I've even taken a few selfies with an eagle."

Chelsea Cheeba is pictured. (CTV News)

But just days ago, a photo session with one of the birds of prey ended badly.

"I'd just taken some pictures and then I started walking away and then next thing you know the eagle dive-bombed me and got me good in the back of the head," said Cheeba.

"Then I felt the back of my head, looked at my hand and it was pretty much covered in blood," she said.

Cheeba says the eagle attacked her not once, but twice.

A wound caused by the eagle is pictured. (CTV News)

'SHE LOOKED SCARED'

Cheeba ran towards a nearby TD Bank, where another woman saw what was happening.

"Well she was running, like ducking," said Natisha Fournier.

"I asked her if she was OK just because she looked scared, and then when she turned around I saw blood all over the back of her head," she said.

Fournier rushed the injured Cheeba into her car and then took her to a nearby store, where Fournier grabbed some first aid supplies.

"I'm just like, 'Come with me. I'll get you an ambulance,'" said Fournier.

"It was scary but then afterwards I started laughing about it," added Cheeba.

Natisha Fournier is pictured. (CTV News)

Fournier says she was glad to be in the right place at the right time to help Cheeba, who ended up going to the hospital for an exam and a tetanus shot.

Cheeba was out the very next day spotting eagles. However, she says she might avoid taking photos of that particular raptor again

"It was probably tired of me taking its picture," she joked.

PROTECTING NEST

Experts at the Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society (MARS) in Merville, B.C., have another theory.

"It's likely that it was protecting a nest, so not hunting but just protecting its young," said Gyl Andersen, manager of wildlife rehabilitation at MARS.

"Eagles could do a lot of damage if they wanted to, so it was probably just trying to scare her off," Andersen adds.

"We see that really commonly with other types of birds, like crows or ravens, even songbirds."

Cheeba says she'll keep a closer eye on her photography subjects in the future.