Re: Nico Wynd, Crescent Beach, BC 2018-2024 Bald Eagle Nest

This area is for recording observations and photos of eagle nests in BC with Ground Observers.

Moderator: BC Nest CP's

Les Elias
Content Provider
Posts: 34
Joined: Apr 10, 2018

Re: Nico Wynd, Crescent Beach, BC 2018-2024 Bald Eagle Nest

Post by Les Elias » Tue Apr 17, 2018 11:03 am

Nico Wynd eagle nest is located on the top of a tree near the No.3 hole on Nico Wynd Golf Course in Surrey, BC. The nest was built there approximately 20 years ago, when adjacent area, east of Nico Wynd Estates, where the eagle nest originally was, was preparing for a future housing development. Eagles accepted the new nest and reacted well to construction and changing views to their territory to the east of Nico Wynd. All this area used to be a farmland – the farm where Nico Wynd is today, raised beef cattle and turkeys.

I watched eagles and their nest for many years. Then, in 2010, David Hancock, the president of Hancock Wildlife Foundation, contacted me about a dead eagle he found on highway 99, near Nico Wynd. It was our female. More details about it are included in A Story of Our Eagles on my website mynicowynd.com
Since then I started to write my observations and posting photos of our eagles at Nico Wynd on this website.


Link to postings 2023-2024 Season
Link to postings 2022-2023 Season
Link to postings 2021-2022 Season
Link to postings 2019-2020 Season
Link to postings 2018-2019 Season

Link to postings 2010-2017: Nico Wynd, Crescent Beach, BC 2010-2017 Bald Eagle Nest

Les Elias
Content Provider
Posts: 34
Joined: Apr 10, 2018

Re: Nico Wynd, Crescent Beach, BC 2018 Bald Eagle Nest

Post by Les Elias » Wed Apr 18, 2018 10:39 am

Hi Karen,
I am sorry, but I have no good news. It seems that our eagles are not going to have family this year. Again. It was 2013 when we had the last family at our nest.
Our present couple had been here since last fall, when one returned on Sept.28, and the second, likely a new mate, joined on October 22. Since then they are together. They started mating almost two month ago. I saw them mating again last weekend. Nothing indicates that there are eggs in the nest. Is it too late to lay eggs by now? I still hope for better news.

We had few new eagle changes at our nest over the last few years. There were two kills and also couple of likely new partners. But they all were good couples, rebuilding the nest and flying together, mating, but no families. Just like present couple. Hope that it will change.

Les Elias
Content Provider
Posts: 34
Joined: Apr 10, 2018

Re: Nico Wynd, Crescent Beach, BC 2018 Bald Eagle Nest

Post by Les Elias » Wed Apr 18, 2018 8:05 pm

I had a small excitement this evening. Watching TV, I noticed a small movement in the eagle nest for a short time. My wishful thinking was saying, it could be a small head. A head of a small eaglet. But I didn't see the parents. There was no eagle at the nest for a few hours. Then I thought, it all can be on the other side of the nest. The east side. I watch it all from the west side. I took my camera and went out to see it all from the east side. While I was walking, I noticed both our eagles came home. I walked on and was taking pictures every time when I got to a shade. It was from a longer distance and I didn't really see details of what I was shooting.
Here are two of a few pictures I took. I didn't see any sign of eaglets :( . It seems to me that the eagles came home for supper. It seems that female went to the nest and started eating. It looks that the male was waiting on the branch above the nest. But... what is exciting is to see a band on his right leg. Well, I am not sure that it is male, but it does have a band. Just click on the pictures to see it.
Attachments
P1310928aa.JPG
P1310929ba.JPG

User avatar
JudyB
Admin
Posts: 17996
Joined: Dec 09, 2017
Location: Midcoast Maine

Re: Nico Wynd, Crescent Beach, BC 2018 Bald Eagle Nest

Post by JudyB » Thu Apr 19, 2018 5:36 pm

Welcome to the new forum, Les, and thanks for setting up this thread!

And I do hope there is a little chick in there somewhere, though it does sound like a long shot.

But maybe....

And it would be interesting if you could get enough of the numbers on the band for an ID.

Les Elias
Content Provider
Posts: 34
Joined: Apr 10, 2018

Re: Nico Wynd, Crescent Beach, BC 2018 Bald Eagle Nest

Post by Les Elias » Wed Apr 25, 2018 8:59 pm

First the update: our eagles spend days away, returning home by supper time. If they don't find any leftovers in the nest, they quickly go to get something. Nothing big, because there are very few ducks left around the golf course. Also, there are fewer rabbits this year. But there is river nearby. They always get something quickly.
It all means that we are loosing our hopes of a family this year.
One of my neighbors told me that crows may have destroyed eagle's eggs. I haven't heard about this possibility. Is it possible? I didn't see our eagles sitting in the nest this year. I have seen crows around the eagle nest many times, but the eagles ignored them every time. I have many pictures about it from the past. I have attached one example.
Now about the bands and their numbers: It is practically impossible to take a picture with details of a band to be able to read it. Yes, we had several eagles with bands over the last few years. But all these pictures showing bands were taken from a long distance. We do not have a nest camera. I was lucky few times to get close enough, approximately 4 or 5 meters. But those eagles did not have a band. Have to wait for another chance and be lucky. You will know it right away when it happens.
Attachments
P1190154aa.JPG

Les Elias
Content Provider
Posts: 34
Joined: Apr 10, 2018

Re: Nico Wynd, Crescent Beach, BC 2018 Bald Eagle Nest

Post by Les Elias » Wed Jun 06, 2018 11:45 am

I have few pictures of one of our eagles, with a good view of its band. But it's not good enough to read it.

These are the last pictures taken at the Nico Wynd nest.

I will explain it in the next "BREAKING NEWS" posting.
Attachments
P1000213.jpg
P1000209.jpg

Les Elias
Content Provider
Posts: 34
Joined: Apr 10, 2018

Re: Nico Wynd, Crescent Beach, BC 2018 Bald Eagle Nest

Post by Les Elias » Thu Jun 07, 2018 5:25 pm

I was very surprised that our eagles moved from a very old location, from a very tall tree, to a new nest they built in a smaller but thicker tree, just about 150 m away. I called it Breaking News, because it was so surprising for me. I can only speculate why. Both trees are on the edge of the same golf course. Present couple watched and flew away to east. They had better view from the old nest. The new nest is inside of the thick tree. They have very limited view from the new nest. But it is more protected and less exposed to crows. I just hope the here they will produce baby eagles. I will post more pictures from the new location.

Now our old nest is free, available for any homeless eagles. Maybe we will have two couples at our golf course.
Attachments
NICO WYND 1 copy.jpg
P1000361.JPG
P1000348 copy.jpg

Les Elias
Content Provider
Posts: 34
Joined: Apr 10, 2018

Re: Nico Wynd, Crescent Beach, BC 2018 Bald Eagle Nest

Post by Les Elias » Fri Jun 08, 2018 5:34 pm

Here are few pictures of our couple's new home. They must like it, because they haven't been in their old nest several weeks. It took me some time to find them. Now, sometimes, they fly by the old one, ignoring it, like it wouldn't be there.
Few days ago there was a stranger at the old nest, sitting on the different branch and just looked around. It gave me the idea of having another couple at our golf course. It maybe a dream, but I hope...
Attachments
P1000352a copy.jpg
P1000345a.JPG
P1000354A.JPG

Les Elias
Content Provider
Posts: 34
Joined: Apr 10, 2018

Re: Nico Wynd, Crescent Beach, BC 2018 Bald Eagle Nest

Post by Les Elias » Sat Jun 09, 2018 9:17 pm

I noticed one stranger landed in the tree today. I had time to take few pictures. I noticed him when he was close to the nest. After a short time he hopped over into the nest. He looked around what was inside, then he looked out around. Then he went back to the same branch. Always looking around. After a few minutes he left. He had no band on the right leg, I did not see the left leg. Maybe it was the same I saw few days ago.
Attachments
P1000479.JPG
P1000486.JPG
P1000484.JPG
P1000482a.JPG

Les Elias
Content Provider
Posts: 34
Joined: Apr 10, 2018

Re: Nico Wynd, Crescent Beach, BC 2018 Bald Eagle Nest

Post by Les Elias » Sun Sep 02, 2018 11:42 am

I haven't seen any eagles in or around our two nests since my last post. But I have seen eagles on our lookout tree, located between the two nests. Always, only one at a time, and all in early August.
P1010176a.JPG
P1020390a.JPG
P1020347a.JPG
P1020231a.JPG
Hard to tell if it the same eagle every time, or two or more different ones. I cannot see any band.
Now I am looking forward to see them when they return from the annual fishing trip.
I will post my comments about the new nest in the next post.

Les Elias
Content Provider
Posts: 34
Joined: Apr 10, 2018

Re: Nico Wynd, Crescent Beach, BC 2018 Bald Eagle Nest

Post by Les Elias » Thu Sep 20, 2018 11:48 am

I have some concerns about our new nest location and possible young eaglets after they hatch in this net. I watched them how they started to learn to fly, their first take-offs and there landings in the old nest. It all was easier there, with open space around it. The new nest is in the middle of a thick tree. Can it be a problem with the new nest location??
P1000354A.JPG
P1000356.JPG
Why did the eagles built this nest in the middle of this tree?

Les Elias
Content Provider
Posts: 34
Joined: Apr 10, 2018

Re: Nico Wynd, Crescent Beach, BC 2018 Bald Eagle Nest

Post by Les Elias » Sun Sep 23, 2018 4:40 pm

On September 17, while watching evening TV news, I noticed an eagle landing in the tree, close to the old nest. It all looked familiar to me, because it landed on one of the favorite branches of our eagles. I thought, they were coming home from the annual fishing trip. But there was only one eagle.
P1040128.JPG
She didn't stay there long. She took off toward the golf course, but it could have bee toward the river or the ocean.

Here is a picture of our eagles from 2016, inserted into the current picture. They were sitting on the same branch. This is why I thought that it was one of our eagles.
2018-2016-a.jpg
Since then, I haven't seen any eagle around.

Les Elias
Content Provider
Posts: 34
Joined: Apr 10, 2018

Re: Nico Wynd, Crescent Beach, BC 2018 Bald Eagle Nest

Post by Les Elias » Wed Dec 19, 2018 9:26 pm

2018-2019 Season begins here

Our eagles are still here. We know that they built a new nest, but for a long time I did not see them using it. Finally, one day in October I was lucky seeing one eagle flying from the river area to the nest, with something what looked like a fish. I hurried across the golf course and was able to get few photos. They both were in the new nest.
P1040432.JPG
Then I took more pictures with one in the nest and later one on a branch, like as on a lookout from their home.
P1040445.JPG
P1040447.JPG
But, they do not spend too much time at or near their new nest. Most of the time, almost every day up till now, one or both spend time on the tree where is their old nest. Almost all day.
P1040423.JPG
Sometimes I can see them on the lookout tree, located between the two nest trees.
P1040512.JPG
Every time when I can take a picture, I try to look for a band. I was able to take one picture where the band is seen.
P1040174cH.JPG
When they are on the old nest tree, they never go inside the nest. It was true until mid December, when, for the first time I was able to take pictures of one of ours, inside the old nest, feasting on something.
P1040713a.JPG
P1040721a.JPG
One more picture, showing how the old tree branches are drying off on one side, maybe because of our eagles.
P1040456.JPG
Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year to all our readers and viewers.

User avatar
gemini
Admin
Posts: 3506
Joined: Dec 15, 2017
Location: North Vancouver, BC

Re: Nico Wynd, Crescent Beach, BC 2018 Bald Eagle Nest

Post by gemini » Thu Jan 31, 2019 8:28 pm

From JudyB:
ANNOUNCEMENT
Hi everyone! We've done some work on the forum over the last couple of days which unfortunately made it harder for some people to log in and stay logged in. We think we've found and fixed the problem, but it may require folks to delete their browser cookies in order to log in.

We're still working on this, but have instructions for deleting cookies for several popular browsers here - viewtopic.php?f=2&t=13&p=148341#p148341 - and you can probably find the method for other browsers on the internet - and we hope to add more tomorrow.

If you have any additional suggestions or would be willing to write instructions for one of the other browsers, please let me know!

We are sorry for the inconvenience, but the work we've done will keep the forum more stable and hopefully more accessible.

If you can log in and post, if you have any questions or can help with additional instructions, please post on the Report Cams Down and Forum Errors thread in the Technical Help area.

If you cannot log in and post, please email me at [email protected]

Thanks!
Image


Member since: 7/31/2006

Les Elias
Content Provider
Posts: 34
Joined: Apr 10, 2018

Re: Nico Wynd, Crescent Beach, BC 2018 Bald Eagle Nest

Post by Les Elias » Sun Apr 07, 2019 9:03 pm

Our eagles continued using both nests, the old one at day times, and the new one for the nights. So I was able to see them in the old nest from my living room regularly.They always were together. BUT... in the last few weeks I see only one. Spending most of the daytime in the old nest tree. Bringing in some food or just sitting on their regular branches. Sometimes calling, also when eating. I am concerned, it is already a long time to see only one eagle. I didn't see any sitting in in the new nest. I just hope that that soon I will see a couple again.
Attachments
P1050431.jpg
P1050433.jpg
P1050423.jpg

Post Reply

Return to “Nests in BC - with Ground Observers”