Larson Rd nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast 2018/2019

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Larson Rd nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast 2018/2019

Post by stim » Mon Mar 26, 2018 3:27 pm

Welcome to this thread. Please feel free to post any sightings or information you wish to share when you drop by this nest.
The nest tree is located at the bottom of Larson Rd, to the left off Gower Point Rd as you drive west out of Gibsons. It is directly before you at the top of a steep hill down to the Strait.
This is an established nest as discovered by our HWF friend Karen, while talking with the neighbour to our left of the nest tree. They moved into the house there in 2008 at which time the nest was in use. It has been productive every year since except for 2016 when the eagles chose to build in another nest tree after much of their old nest fell. Although we could not see the new nest, we were assured that 1 eaglet was successfully raised there.
They returned to this nest tree for their 2017 season, successfully fledging 1 youngster as far as we know. Karen saw it branching in the tree, then it was gone. At the same time no nest was left, just a small pile of sticks.
We suspect that this territory is one of 3 in a row along the Strait to Chaster Beach.

2017... 1 eaglet seen branching.
2018... nest not used
2019... 2 eaglets safely fledged

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Re: Larson Rd nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast

Post by stim » Mon Mar 26, 2018 3:27 pm

Reserved

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Re: Larson Rd nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast

Post by stim » Mon Mar 26, 2018 3:31 pm

A visit to the nest tree on a brilliant sunny afternoon Oct 8/17 still found little of the nest left.
035Larson.jpg
And there was Pa in what seems to be a favourite perch tree to our left and a bit downhill from the nest tree.
040Larson.jpg

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Re: Larson Rd nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast

Post by stim » Mon Mar 26, 2018 3:33 pm

I returned Jan 22 and did not find any eagles but a nest that is being rebuilt! :woohoo: I hope this continues and that we get to enjoy another season here.
379Larson.jpg

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Re: Larson Rd nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast

Post by stim » Mon Mar 26, 2018 3:41 pm

Another drop by March 11 found Pa in his perch tree and a nest looking somewhat rebuilt. No signs of brooding could be seen in the nest. I hope the nest is sturdy enough. Pics can be enlarged by clicking on them x 2.
784Larnest.jpg
779LarPa.jpg
785LarPa.jpg

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heatherj
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Re: Larson Rd nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast 2017-2018

Post by heatherj » Thu Mar 29, 2018 11:13 am

Wishing the Larsons a happy successful nesting season! :)
What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make. Jane Goodall

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marg
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Re: Larson Rd nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast 2017-2018

Post by marg » Thu Mar 29, 2018 4:52 pm

Good that you saw the Larson eagle Sandra. Hoping for a good season. :)
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Re: Larson Rd nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast 2017-2018

Post by stim » Sun Apr 01, 2018 3:14 pm

Thank you for stopping by Heather and Marg. Yes, we will all keep our fingers crossed for another successful season for this couple. :luck:

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Re: Larson Rd nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast 2017-2018

Post by Mushka » Sat Apr 07, 2018 9:22 pm

.
Thank you for opening this thread Sandra.

I stopped by the nest yesterday while out but didn't see any eagle activity at all, no eagles in any of the trees I could see and no head in the nest, though if the nest is sloped towards the water side as it was last year it might be hard to see any brooding activity for a while.

005-1.jpg

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Re: Larson Rd nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast 2017-2018

Post by stim » Sun Apr 08, 2018 6:43 pm

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your findings Karen.

I stopped by again April 14. I saw a male soaring east of the nest, very close, turned and flew away as I arrived. No sign of brooding. Nest looks identical to your last picture Karen.

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Re: Larson Rd nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast 2017-2018

Post by Mushka » Mon Apr 23, 2018 10:55 pm

I've stopped by the nest a few times (the most recent being yesterday) since my last visit and have had no luck seeing any activity in or around the nest. I have been hoping to see the people who live at the bottom of the road to the left, they were very helpful last year with information on the goings on at the nest as they have a good view of it from their back deck and have watched it for years. So far, I haven't seen them or been able to chat with them though.

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Re: Larson Rd nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast 2017-2018

Post by Mushka » Mon May 21, 2018 9:40 pm

After stopping by numerous times whenever I've been in the area and never seeing any activity at the nest, today I was prepared for the same. As I got out of the vehicle and scanned the nest and area, seeing nothing, I was surprised to suddenly hear a commotion from a bird out of sight, lots of shrill, chattering. I then saw an eagle coming from the trees to the left with a bird following in close pursuit, the eagle flew to and landed in the nest. Yay!

A few seconds later the same scenario repeated itself, with more shrill chattering coming from a bird, again in pursuit of an eagle coming from the same direction as the first. I couldn't get a clear shot due to the trees / branches. But that eagle flew to the nest too. After seeing nothing for months, there were now two adults in the nest !

I zoomed in to the bird that had been chasing the eagles and was surprised (or maybe not due to the behaviour) to see it was a Merlin falcon.

While I watched, the adults didn't appear to be feeding any youngsters they were just perched in the nest looking out. Due to the direction they both came from I'm wondering if they are using the old nest they used the year before last ? Hopefully will see some activity again and hopefully be able to talk to the people at the bottom left hand side of the road who watch the nest from their deck to confirm if it is being used this year.

Karen H

Please click onto the pictures to enlarge.

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A bit hard to see but one adult is in the nest, can see a bit of the back and tail to the right. While the second adult flies in.
046-1.jpg
Both adults perched in the nest, looking out.
036-1.jpg
The Merlin that was chasing them both as they flew to the nest

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Re: Larson Rd nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast 2017-2018

Post by marg » Tue May 22, 2018 6:46 am

WOW Karen what a visit! Great that you were there at the right time! Thanks!
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Re: Larson Rd nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast 2017-2018

Post by stim » Tue May 22, 2018 1:08 pm

Very interesting activity Karen! I suspect they were threatening the merlin's nest. They might have directed it back to their unused nest or any youngsters were lying low in the nest we can see knowing danger was around. I'm surprised a merlin was threatening them though, so much smaller. I guess the talons would hurt.
:chin:

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Re: Larson Rd nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast 2017-2018

Post by stim » Thu May 31, 2018 5:04 pm

I finally got down here this afternoon. No sign of anyone in the nest but who I think was Pa was perched in the tree they seem to like to our left of the nest. Had I not looked carefully and decided to check out the suggestion of his brown body in the tree I would have missed him.
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