2018 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

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gemini
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2018 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by gemini » Sun Sep 02, 2018 1:16 am

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“The Great Gathering
Of Eagles”


Fraser Valley, B.C. Nov 17/18, 2018

The Harrison River – Chehalis Flats hosts the world’s largest annual gathering of bald eagles – likely up to 35,000 of them pass through this area each fall and during later November and throughout December it is likely to find 4,000 to 10,000 along the Harrison shoreline in a 3 km section.

These eagles are here for one reason -- to continue their 6-month feast on spawned-out salmon that started in the Yukon, Alaska and northern British Columbia rivers in late June and July. Then as the fish carcasses diminish, either being eaten out, washed out to deep water or finally frozen from the ice of winter, these eagles move southward where very conveniently the salmon spawn later.

The Annual Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival is a two-day free family event that is designed to honour this natural phenomenon while edu-taining the visitors about nature and the environment.

The festival organizes viewing sites on both land and water with expert interpreters ready to answer questions and share local information. There is an indoor exhibitor’s hall full of nature and educational display, nature walks, keynote speakers, and various other exciting nature-inspired activities in the festival region that begins in Mission and stretches to Harrison Mills.

For the most up to date information about the Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival www.fvbef.ca or contact Jo-Anne Chadwick, Festival Coordinator at (604) 826-6914.
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Exhibitors Wanted
The Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival was created to educate the public while sparking an interest in nature, the environment, and if lucky a untapped enthusiasm for the ecosystem.

The indoor Exhibitor’s Hall at Harrison Mills is set up to showcase like-minded organizations and we invite exhibitors to join us for the weekend and assist the FVBEF Society in our mission. There is no charge for Non-profit organizations to become a part of the event. Simply register and bring your set up on the festival weekend. REGISTRATION LINK

Volunteers Needed
The FVBEF Society consists of a handful of dedicated volunteers that have a shared passion for nature and the area. The festival committee meets about 12 times a year and together plan and shape the annual 2-day event. As with many not-for-profit organizations, the group is simply not able to function without them. The Society currently has a couple of vacancies within the planning group and would welcome new faces around the table. If you are interested in joining the fun, please contact Jo-Anne (Festival Chair) [email protected]

A second volunteer opportunity exists around the actual weekend of the event. The following volunteer roles are available:

The “Ask Me” Local Ambassadors – Boots on the ground positions at various sites to help answer questions and suggest activities and locations to visit. Training can be provided.

Harrison Mills Hall Volunteers – The hall needs people to help set up on Friday afternoon as well as take down on Sunday. Also, volunteers are required to answer questions and monitor the official “Festival Table”

If you are interested in possibly volunteering on the Festival weekend (Nov 16/17/18) please contact Liisa at [email protected]
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Re: 2018 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by davidh » Tue Oct 23, 2018 10:54 pm

Hancock here: Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival - coming soon – but only here!!

Mark November 17 and 18 for the eagles – the Harrison – Chehalis Eagles. This is our annual Eagle Festival and this year the north is definitely starting to freeze up early - this should drive the eagles south in big numbers. Also this year there will be another newcomer to the Harrison - Jo & Rob have sold the Fraser River Safari Tours and a new chap, Liam Sullivan, has purchased it. I met him a week ago and he has been brought up in the area and loves it as much as the rest of us keeners.

I spoke with him yesterday and he passed the Harrison the day before and thought that there might already be a couple of hundred eagles on the flats - that is a lot for so early but all our resident eagles are back guarding their territories. Those who already watch the cams know that our new South Surrey Reserve cam, the two new CAMS sponsored by the Dawson & Sawyer developers, already has had the two adults checking it out. We can hope.

If you are going to get out on the river this season book early with Liam. I will be aboard as guide if enough people request it.

Contact: Liam Sullivan - 604-348-6877 - [email protected]; https://www.fraserriversafari.com/

So below are two reminders of the Festival. If any of you can re-direct the PR announcement around to others or for that matter point people to the little video of a previous year's eagle release - please do so.

This PR Release will be going out to 75+ northwest media. Please spread it around!


World Record Number of Bald Eagles: at Harrison Mills, BC Oct 22, 2018

2018 is expected to be a year when the bald eagles congregate in extra large numbers on the Chehalis – Harrison Flats.

The Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival at Harrison Mills at the confluence of the Chehalis and Harrison Rivers has become the most famous and reliable place to see bald eagles in the entire world. In December of 2010, 7362 bald eagles were counted in a 4 k section of this area. Over 10,000 were estimated to be in the annual Festival count area from Harrison Bay northward along the Harrison River to the Chehalis Flats. Now annually 10,000 to 15,000 eagles visit the Harrison.

The eagles start to move into our area as soon as the dead salmon carcasses begin to appear in October. The Bald Eagle Festival during the third weekend of November matches the buildup which peaks in December and wanes, as the salmon carcasses are eaten out, through January and February. What really drives the eagles to our area is the freezing up of the northern rivers – the eagles can’t get at the dead salmon under the ice. Southward the eagles come by the thousands and our incredibly productive Chehalis – Harrison River complex provides food for thousands of eagles, usually for months. It is estimated over 35,000 eagle’s winter in the lower Fraser Valley each winter.

Other adult eagles return to be closer to their breeding territories in southern BC and Washington State. Over 480 nesting pairs have been located of the more than 600 pairs believed to nest in the lower Fraser Valley. So, this tiny urban-suburban region of Southern British Columbia hosts not just the highest breeding density but also the largest wintering population of bald eagles.

Our Festival coincides with the arrival of the big eagle migration. From the three major viewing sites along Morris Valley Road, north off Highway 7 at the Sasquatch Inn, Tapadera Camp site, Eagle Point Observatory Park and the Sandpiper Golf Course which houses a spectacular Bald Eagle Observatory, the eagles can be viewed by the public. Starting about this same time the Fraser River Safari Tours offers frequent tours up the Harrison River from Kilby that enable viewers to see the great concentrations from closer-up and to visit the bigger eagle concentration areas not visible from the western shoreline points.

So many people still have not seen an eagle – yet during our fall salmon runs it is possible to frequently see several thousand in a single day and from a single location. We encourage you to attend the Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival, see the Sts'ailes First Nations dancers and crafts, view our eagles, attend lectures on local wildlife and view all the related booths at the Festival outreach centers. When you fall in love with our eagles you will be on the path to wanting to develop a sustainable world.

David Hancock, Wildlife Biologist
Hancock Wildlife Foundation/Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival.


:vid: Bald Eagle Release, Harrison Mills, BC, 11 16 16

davidh
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Re: 2018 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by davidh » Thu Nov 08, 2018 1:56 pm

World Record Number of Bald Eagles: Due at Harrison Mills, BC for Festival

2018 is expected to be year when the bald eagles congregate in extra large numbers on the Chehalis – Harrison Flats. So far the criteria are gathering for the perfect storm - a lot of eagles gathering to feast on our spawned out salmon.

The Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival at Harrison Mills at the confluence of the Chehalis and Harrison Rivers has become the most famous and reliable place to see bald eagles in the entire world. In December of 2010, 7362 bald eagles were counted in a 4 km section of this area. Over 10,000 were estimated to be in the annual Festival count area from Harrison Bay northward along the Harrison River to the Chehalis Flats. Now annually 10,000 to 15,000 eagles visit the Harrison. And all this is viewed free of charge.

The eagles start to move into our area as soon as the dead salmon carcasses begin to appear in October. The Bald Eagle Festival during the third weekend of November matches the buildup which peaks in December and wanes, as the salmon carcasses are eaten out, through January and February. What really drives the eagles to our area is the freezing up of the northern rivers – the eagles can’t get at the dead salmon under the ice. Southward the eagles come by the thousands and our incredibly productive Chehalis – Harrison River complex provides food for thousands of eagles, usually for months. It is estimated over 35,000 eagles winter in the lower Fraser Valley each winter - and most pass through the Harrison.

Other adult eagles return to be closer to their breeding territories in southern BC and Washington State. Over 480 nesting pairs have been located of the more than 600 pairs believed to nest in the lower Fraser Valley. So, this tiny urban-suburban region of Southern British Columbia hosts not just the highest breeding density but also the largest wintering population of bald eagles known.

Our Festival coincides with the arrival of the big eagle migration. From the three major viewing sites along Morris Valley Road, north off Highway 7 at the Sasquatch Inn, Tapadera Camp site, Eagle Point Observatory Park and the Sandpiper Golf Course which houses a spectacular rain-sheltered Bald Eagle Observatory, the eagles can be viewed by the public – free! Starting about this same time the Fraser River Safari Tours offers frequent tours up the Harrison River from Kilby that enable viewers to see the great concentrations from closer up - and to visit the bigger eagle concentration areas not visible from the western shoreline points. This covered boat tour has a cost so book it early.

So many people still have not seen an eagle – yet during our fall salmon runs it is possible to frequently see several thousand in a single day and from a single location. We encourage you to attend the Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival, see the Sts'ailes First Nations dancers and crafts, view our eagles, attend lectures on local wildlife and view all the related booths at the Festival outreach centers. When you fall in love with our eagles you will be on the path to wanting to develop a sustainable world.

David Hancock, Wildlife Biologist
Hancock Wildlife Foundation/Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival.

======================== ======================= ==========================


1. On Wednesday, Nov. 14, at the Sandpiper Golf Course on the Harrison River, we will be releasing a bald eagle that has been rehabilitated at OWL and is now being given a second chance at life in the wild - this offers wonderful photo opportunities. The release is precisely at 1100 at the Sandpiper at the River’s edge. A number of schools will be on hand.

2. Anyone wishing additional info or an interview may call David Hancock, eagle biologist and a director of the Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival: 604-761-1025

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Re: 2018 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by davidh » Sat Nov 10, 2018 10:42 am

Posted: November 24, 2018 8:45 pm

Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival: 2018, Nov. 17, 18

Our 23rd Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival was both bathed in sunshine and eagles. We had 3277 and 3301 eagles on the two days respectively. We also had record numbers of people. The totals are yet to come in, but all sites were a bit overwhelmed. I don’t think Harrison Mill has seen this many people since the Gold Rush days. We did have a little problem of some overzealous photographers pushing past the signs “Please Keep off the Flats – Give the Eagles a Break” and that of course pushed the hungry eagles away from the fish and the awaiting public. We need to enforce ‘ecological politeness’! But what a day. I personally have not seen this many eagles this early in the year. This may well forecast another record number of eagles as the winter presses on and more eagles arrive from the frozen north.

Thanks to all the Volunteers who made this happen, the sponsors who helped keep one of the biological wonders of the world free to the public, and finally thanks to the wonderful citizens of the Harrison Mills communities along the River who tolerated this incredible invasion of their neighborhoods by eagle supporters. Also, thanks to all the media and nature organizations who spread the word – it worked. I heard from so many people from throughout the valley and an armada from Washington State, at least a dozen from California and a couple who specifically just came for the Festival from Ohio – they had been following our Web Cams for years and this was their year to make the ‘pilgrimage’!

This note will get posted on the Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival and Hancock Wildlife Foundation sites and we invite you to send David your best images/videos and comments to [email protected] to be shared by the the public.

Additional readings:

2018 Report – Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival
HWF: Project Reports to AGM Nov. 22, 2018
FVBE Festival Photo Request

Thanks,
David Hancock
Jo Anne Chadwick

http://fraservalleybaldeaglefestival.ca/ https://hancockwildlife.org/

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gemini
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Re: 2018 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by gemini » Tue Nov 13, 2018 12:12 pm

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Re: 2018 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by davidh » Tue Nov 13, 2018 9:10 pm

Hancock here - bald eagle migration – in view!

Sunday Nov 11 - a hallowed day of remembrance. While my thoughts very frequently went to the generation who suffered so much more than I, I took the beautiful sunny day to visit the Harrison River. But damn – I have lived 80 years and never had to go to war because of them – their sacrifice has made my life wonderful – I have got to play with eagles because of those who made such a sacrifice. Thank you so much.

So, there I am standing on the river bank of the Harrison looking across the flats. I had just noted, in a small arc of about 12 degrees, 505 eagles – not as many as I expected sitting on the flats but perhaps the 10 fishermen walking the stream banks were contributing - and another 1000 or so sat in the trees on the far side of the river. Then, quite unexpectedly, to the north about 2 kilometers, I saw 3, then 7, then what quickly became about 50 eagles circling over a ridge. The circling group was added to as I watched as more eagles emerged from behind the mountain. In less than 5 more minutes another group was assembling, circling overhead and drifting as a circling unit eastward and overhead continuing southward. Ten minutes later this was repeated. Another 50+ eagles passed over some 25 telescopic lenses “pointed in wonderment at what we were all witnessing” - though perhaps not all the viewers gave this the same perspective! In another 15 minutes this was repeated.

I have for years made periodic counts of eagles at the Harrison. Usually by late November or into December I might see 2000 to 5000 eagles in the 3-kilometer (2 mile) section of the Chehalis Flats, an intrusion into the Harrison River Valley, and be reminded that Beautiful Natural British Columbia has again lived up to its promotional slogan. Seldom have I been privileged to see how the area can go in one week from 2000 eagles to 10,000 eagles. I have often stated that the area receives 100 to 500 eagles a day – an astonishing concept but one I only concluded from counts but had not witnessed. Today I actually saw this happening.

I know from my counts that the eagle count can incredibly vary from morning to noon – sometimes by several thousand, let alone from day to day. But counts are simply counts, they represent the number of eagles I have seen sitting on the flats in front of me, counted one by one or by two’s. Today I saw the making of a count - I saw the eagles arriving from along the mountain ridge to the north, a whole continuous circling mass of eagles arriving, passing down the valley and then followed by another and another group of eagles. Eagles do arrive! The obvious became obvious, the obvious was a functional gyrating mass of eagles - the explanation of how I could go from a 1000 eagle count at 0800 AM to 3000 two days later.

I had witnessed in 2010 how one morning I had about 3600 eagles on the flats and adjacent trees at about 1000 AM but after a few hunter shots on the flats, the entire feeding and resting mass of eagles, those sitting on the flats and many perched on the surrounding trees, simply, I am sure stimulated by the gun shots but perhaps more importantly by the light wind blowing up-slope on the 3 adjacent hills, they took to soaring effortlessly. These columns of gyrating eagles, never flapping a wing, then drifted in 3 different directions - all momentarily leaving the Harrison Valley. My count of over 3000 eagles went to 112 in minutes.

Today I saw how they returned the same way. Perhaps this time, at the beginning of the migration, from northern rivers frozen up and the birds now in search of a new buffet – the “snow-bird capital of the world.” The Harrison – Chehalis Flats is that wonderful southern table setting, the only Canadian river where not only do all salmon species spawn but do so in such perfect timing when all the northern rivers are freezing up, sealing their food under ice. The eagles have to move south – and the Harrison has set the table.

Please come and enjoy our Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival – November 17 and 18 - but note that the eagles will be increasing through December and lingering in our valley through January and February until their northern rivers thaw in spring and they can breed across the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Alaska and northern British Columbia. You can now follow some of these northern eagles as they reveal their travels on our gps tracked eagles: https://hancockwildlife.org Fraser Valley eagles have also taken up residence at their nesting sites - you can also follow these pairs on our live streaming site, now defending their nests, then laying their eggs in February, hatching their eggs in April and fledging their young in July.

David Hancock,
Hancock Wildlife Foundation.
Nov. 11, 2018

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Re: 2018 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by mmud » Sun Nov 18, 2018 8:51 pm

A few pics from the FVBEF on Saturday. Most of the eagles were on the other side of the river but some were a little closer.
Doubleclick pics for full screen.
FVBEF Nov 17, 2018 (1)-2.jpg
FVBEF Nov 17, 2018 (2)-2.jpg
FVBEF Nov 17, 2018 (3)-2.jpg
Last edited by mmud on Sun Nov 18, 2018 9:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 2018 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by mmud » Sun Nov 18, 2018 8:53 pm

FVBEF Nov 17, 2018 (4)-2.jpg

A fish flopped near this one but it didn't bother trying to catch it.
FVBEF Nov 17, 2018 (6)-2.jpg
FVBEF Nov 17, 2018 (10)-2.jpg
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Re: 2018 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by mmud » Sun Nov 18, 2018 8:54 pm

FVBEF Nov 17, 2018 (14)-2.jpg
FVBEF Nov 17, 2018 (16)-2.jpg
FVBEF Nov 17, 2018 (19)-2.jpg
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Re: 2018 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by mmud » Sun Nov 18, 2018 9:00 pm

David on the Fraser River Safari boat in the background.
FVBEF Nov 17, 2018 (24)-2.jpg

Rob with Sonsie at O.W.L.'s table at Tapadera Estates.
FVBEF Nov 17, 2018 (26)-2.jpg

The weather was great, the eagles could have been a little closer but at least they were there, and David's talk was great as always so it was an excellent day.
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Re: 2018 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by marg » Mon Nov 19, 2018 7:16 am

It was good to see you Scott!
I took a video but it was extremely windy on the observation platform at Sandpiper Golf Course so is quite shaky! These were off in the distance.

:vid:

https://youtu.be/8X2kNtwToTI

I will add more pictures later.
Added:
Driving to the FVBEF taken through the car window.
Geese a - 1.jpg
Last edited by marg on Wed Nov 21, 2018 5:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 2018 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by marg » Mon Nov 19, 2018 10:07 am

I'm afraid that I need to reduce the size of my pictures as the forum says they are too large! I could not post them.....


IMG_1709.jpg
FVBEF - 1 (1).jpg
FVBEF - 1 (3).jpg
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Re: 2018 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by marg » Mon Nov 19, 2018 10:09 am

More coming.
Click the first one to make bigger.
FVBEF - 1 (4).jpg
FVBEF 5 - 1.jpg
IMG_1741.jpg
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Re: 2018 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by Woodlands Bleu » Mon Nov 19, 2018 5:08 pm

I posted here my thanks for the pictures, but it is gone, I think? At any rate, thank you! I love visiting by computer when I cannot be there......
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Re: 2018 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by Jean » Mon Nov 19, 2018 6:56 pm

6:55pm..............Thank you Scott and Marg for those pictures..........here are a few more ............


First one is an eagle with no left eye........seen on 2 days close to shore in the trees......nice and safe with lots of spawning salmon below it for easy pickings.
1.JPG
2.JPG
3.JPG
Last edited by Jean on Mon Nov 19, 2018 7:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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