2019 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

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gemini
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2019 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by gemini » Thu Oct 31, 2019 2:11 am

Coming Soon!



(Click 2x to enlarge)
FVBEF.jpg



More Information HERE
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davidh
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Re: 2019 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by davidh » Mon Nov 04, 2019 2:57 am

Hancock here: Eagle Festival Update Nov 3, 2019

The Northern Snow Birds have Started to Gather at the Chehalis!

Eagle Festival Alert: the northern migrants, our 35,000 bald eagle visitors, are on their way!

Both the last two Saturdays I did a count on the Harrison – Chehalis Rivers and between 500 and 550 eagles had already arrived. With the cold weather north of us I expect we could see 200 to 500 per day arriving throughout November and December. Now the southern challenge is will our reduced spawning fish stocks be able to feed them. The key is about 35,000 eagle migrants are on their way south looking for a free dinner – and for 4 months.

The most encouraging feature of yesterday was not just the number of eagles that have already arrived but that the river was full of spawning and dead fish --- the table can still daily be set for some weeks to come. And a full plate for a few ‘fighting eagles’ is of course a 7kilo dead salmon on the riverbank. The other variable is the height of the water. The last two weekends it has held high enough to cover most of the Chehalis Flats, the main many kilometers of little rivulets that surround spawning channels and as the water drops the sand bars emerge catching the dead drifting carcasses. This is the feasting table that some days is serving up dinner for 2500 eagles for breakfast and another 2500 for lunch and again at dinner.

Our Observation Platforms overlook this buffet. Yesterday the few bars were loaded with dead fish. So if we now get a week of cold weather, particularly north of here sealing off their river carcasses under ice, the eagles will continue south. These are the “First and True ‘Northern Snowbirds’!”

Usually by the Festival weekend we have 2500 eagles in the Harrison – Chehalis observation area. This year the Festival will be featuring the magnificent Eagle Observatory built by Betty Anne Faulkner at the Sandpiper Golf Course. Access is of course Free, the lectures are Free, the Kilby Hall displays are Free and our wonderful viewing sites and volunteers are Free, and hopefully seeing our annual biological wonder of over 2000 bald eagles is Free. There are a couple of things you have to pay for: food and a tour of the river’s east side where the eagle roost on the Fraser River Safari Tour boat - which I frequently sneak on as a guide but to make the counts.

Please come to see one of our huge natural resources that make Super Natural British Columbia both super and natural.

David Hancock, Hancock Wildlife Foundation: David: 604 761-1025 [email protected]
Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival: see our web for Map: www.fvbef.org

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Re: 2019 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by davidh » Mon Nov 04, 2019 3:21 am

Vancouver has Two Distinct Bald Eagle Populations

- November tells the tale -

Southern British Columbia, particularly our lower Fraser River Valley, has two very distinct populations of bald eagles. First, we have our very successful breeders who have 19 nests in the City of Vancouver, more than 80 nests in the City of Delta, 43 in Surrey , and I have identified over 480 nesting territories in the valley but expect there are well over 550 pairs nesting between Vancouver and Hope. For those of you living along the shoreline hosting a few big trees, visiting a city park or golf course with their wonderful cottonwoods and remnant conifers, or who drive the suburban farmland in Greater Vancouver and stare in amazement at eagle nests surrounded by houses and industry, you have seen our great natural treasure -- remember this is all part of what makes Super Natural British Columbia – SUPER.

This local nesting phenomena is a wonderful increase from only 3 nesting pairs in the early 1960’s (my thesis years) when the local eagles had been defined as ‘vermin’ and regularly shot – particularly by Americans who got $2.00 for each pair of eagle legs. Eagles only became icons of good when Rachael Carson led the world in an educational campaign against pesticides and changed our attitude towards predators all at the same time. It took the eagles 20 years to believe we could be trusted neighbors.

Then we have the most observable population of eagles, our winter migrants: sometimes 10,000 can be seen on the Harrison River and after those salmon carcasses get washed away you can see them along Boundary Bay and at the Landfill or distributed throughout the Valley scrounging road kills and farm offal. Our Annual Fraser River Bald Eagle Festival on the Harrison is most people’s introduction to the world’s largest gathering of eagles. (www.FVBEF.org for Festival details) The Festival is coming up November 16 and 17 this year. It offers wonderful viewing sites free.

These northern migrants start to arrive here just after our breeders return from their northern migration but these northern residents are simply here because their northern breeding territories across northern BC, Alberta, Alaska and the taiga of northern Canada freezes up all winter totally depriving them of food. These northern eagles are basically scavengers, totally dependent upon our ice-free rivers to deliver them spawning salmon carcasses from November thru February. They do almost no hunting -- this is their season to be lazy. Their northern rivers spawn their salmon as early as June and thru August but by November their rivers freeze up, covering up with ice any remaining carcasses. They depend upon our ice-free rivers and more recently on garbage dumps.

They forage our ice-free rivers until the carcasses are eaten out or washed out by heavy rains. Usually, by February through March these migrants start their northern return along the coastal flyway largely dependent upon the spawning herring but never missing a village garbage dump. Others fly up the Fraser River flyway timing their trip to the calving period of our huge interior cattle industry delivering up afterbirth and an occasional stillborn calf. By April we just have our breeders and a few sub-adults

But you asked: How do our breeders accomplish a northern migration and return in only two months? Good question. First, we know that some of our southern breeders go as far as the Alaskan SE coast and as far eastward as Great Slave Lake - because eagles carrying satellite trackers showed the way. Others may migrate fewer miles but to find the early northern spawning salmon you have to go north to about Bella Coola. But then you ask how do they actually fly that far -- perhaps three to five thousand km return?

Interestingly eagles are not great flyers. They are lightweights in reality, preferring to soar and glide downhill. But that is why they have huge nearly 2 m long broad wings. As most local residents know we have a fairly steady air mass moving eastward in from the Pacific. That air mass hits a mountain chain, almost unbroken from California to Alaska, that forces the air up nearly two km. That rising air literally lifts the eagles up and they simply circle, gain more height, and then glide downhill. Eagles regularly go to 2 km high and one eagle, not here thank you, hit an aircraft at over 8 km up. And this elevator works in both directions. Our breeders and offspring get a free downhill glide north to the early salmon runs at the end of their breeding season in July and then again back south to our ice-free rivers in fall. Our recent tracking’s show they readily cover 200 km a day so it is a wonderful downhill week to Alaska and another back.

See you at the FVBE Festival with 2500 to 3500 eagle friends - Sat. Nov. 16 & Sun. Nov. 17

David Hancock: (Cell: 604 761-1025 - for Press Interviews )
Director, Hancock Wildlife Foundation: (www.hancockwidlife.org for live-tracking eagles)
Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival: (www.fvbef.org for Festival events Nov.16-17)

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gemini
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Re: 2019 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by gemini » Thu Nov 14, 2019 9:25 pm

Don't forget the Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival is this Weekend!

Experience this Natural Phenomenon in 2019

The 24 Annual Festival - November 16-17, 2019

Download a map HERE! And just follow the Scenic 7 Highway - 30 minutes east of Mission, BC to the Harrison River/Harrison Mills, BC
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Darlene
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Re: 2019 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by Darlene » Fri Nov 15, 2019 9:00 am

So excited for the eagle festival this weekend! Disappointed it is supposed to rain all weekend though! Hope to see lots of our supporters out there. There is a dinner reservation at the Sasquatch Inn Pub for 6:00 tonight and tomorrow night for the Hancock Wildlife bunch. Hope to see you there!
Darlene, Langley, member since May 10 2006

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marg
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Re: 2019 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by marg » Mon Nov 18, 2019 3:22 pm

FVBEF 2019

We were there for the 3 days but we did have RAIN......Sunday was the worst day.

When we arrived we ate lunch in the restaurant at the Sandpiper Golf Course. We met up with others who had also just gone into the restaurant.
:D
I had to zoom into these eagles they were quite a distance away. I took these while eating breakfast.

I had to ask them if they could turn on the TV showing the nest.

(I had to adjust the size of these pictures......).
Attachments
FVBEF 2019 7 eagles. - 1.jpg
FVBEF 2019 - 1 a.jpg
FVBEF 2019 B - 1.jpg
Last edited by marg on Mon Nov 18, 2019 3:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 2019 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by marg » Mon Nov 18, 2019 3:24 pm

Misty morning at Harrison Mills.
FVBEF 2019 C D E - 1.jpg
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FVBEF 2019  - 2.jpg
Getting into the Christmas spirit.
FVBEF 2019 C D E - 3.jpg
Last edited by marg on Mon Nov 18, 2019 4:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 2019 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by marg » Mon Nov 18, 2019 3:24 pm

Here are a few more pics. These were taken Sunday just before we left for home.

Sharon & Darlene at the Hancock Table in the hall.
FVBEF 2019 Sharon & Darlene - 1.jpg
Bob, Liisa, Marg, Jean and Terri from California.
FVBEF 2019 Group photo - 1.jpg
Eagles soaring. Click bigger. Sorry this pic only shows one. I will be sending more later.
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FVBEF 2019 eagles soaring.. - 1.jpg
Last edited by marg on Mon Nov 18, 2019 5:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 2019 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by marg » Mon Nov 18, 2019 5:16 pm

Couple more coming. Taken with my cell phone.



Added:
At Saturday's dinner David and the mystery eagle. (I know who that is.) :D
20191116_183223-1-1.jpg
:bye 1:
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Last edited by marg on Mon Nov 18, 2019 9:12 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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2019 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by Woodlands Bleu » Mon Nov 18, 2019 7:55 pm

It's really nice to see all of you.....
carolyn (thank you so much Marg)

Eagles in the trees,
sitting in the rain,
unperturbed and not disturbed,
just a usual day.

To be pulled West and North,
without travel of any kind,
that makes it all the best,
for those who must remain behind.

Thanks from Carolyn
An upside down dog is a happy dog dreaming sweet dreams.
carolyn

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Yolande
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Re: 2019 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by Yolande » Mon Nov 18, 2019 8:14 pm

Wonderful to see your picts, Marg - thank-you so much!

Great to see Lisa, Bob, Jean, Terri, Darlene, and Sharon, and all - so sorry I missed you ..... :grhug:

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Re: 2019 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by IrishEyes » Tue Nov 19, 2019 2:18 pm

Thanks Marg for the pictures ~ :huggie:
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HELPFUL HINTS.......Bev...member since 08/04/09

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Re: 2019 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by marg » Tue Nov 19, 2019 3:52 pm

You are welcome Yolande and Bev. :)
I believe there are a lot of people posting their pics on Facebook.
It was great to see everyone there.
Sunshinecoast Marg
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Re: 2019 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by IrishEyes » Tue Nov 19, 2019 7:23 pm

Marg wrote:
Tue Nov 19, 2019 3:52 pm
You are welcome Yolande and Bev. :)
I believe there are a lot of people posting their pics on Facebook.
It was great to see everyone there.
Thanks Marg.. I hope they post them here also for those of us who don't post on Facebook!
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HELPFUL HINTS.......Bev...member since 08/04/09

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Woodlands Bleu
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Re: 2019 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival

Post by Woodlands Bleu » Wed Nov 20, 2019 4:48 pm

My post here disappeared? I also wanted to thank you Marg for the pictures, it means a lot to us who are not up there....
I especially loved all of them but the eagles in the trees is spectacular.

I guess my post got deleted for some reason?
carolyn

eta...I also do not do Facebook and would appreciate more pictures here. :)
An upside down dog is a happy dog dreaming sweet dreams.
carolyn

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