Southern Vancouver Island & Lower Mainland BC Eagle Nests - 2019-2024 Seasons

[sassyk]

Hollywood Park Eagles cont'd.

Updates I have received via email from Ann Smith:
Aug. 3rd; eaglet still in the nest tree; perched on branch almost over Fairfield Rd.; next day it was at the very top of the nest tree; flapping its wings and preening more often.
Adults seen around Gonzales Bay and Ross Bay
Aug. 7th; 2 adults in trees overlooking Ross Bay, one near middle of bay in a fir tree in the cemetery and the other by Memorial Crescent; adults talking to each other. Eaglet flapping around the nest tree, going from branch to branch. Later that day an adult was in the tree watching the eaglet eating.
Aug. 8th; Ann walked all around the park and did not see or hear the eaglet; later she saw an eagle soaring over Ross Bay (99% sure it was a juvenile).
Aug. 9th; an eaglet was perched high in a tree near the washrooms overlooking Gonzales Bay at approx. 1:45pm, calling out every few minutes.

I visited the park on Aug. 9th in the afternoon and the eaglet was safely back in the nest tree eating

[sassyk]

My birding friend Marie saw both of the eaglets and 1 adult from the Willows Beach nest at Cattle Point on July 27th. Thanks to Marie for sending me these fantastic photos!

[sassyk]

I haven't been back to the Hollywood Park nest since my last visit on Aug. 9th. Thanks so much to Ann Smith who has kept me updaed on the activities of the eagles and the fledged eaglet. I hope to visit the area early next week.

Following are Ann's notes from Aug. 11th to 19th:

Fri Aug 11 - Driving to Fairfield Plaza the eaglet was perched in the nest tree. While in the plaza the eaglet flew past over Ross Bay Cemetery towards the west. It seemed to be flying alongside some seagulls. It was interesting to watch as it flew slower and tentatively compared the adult eagles. Later in the day, my husband heard the eaglet at the park but didn’t see it.

Sun Aug 13 - The eaglet was flying in big, slow circles between the park and the water. It looked to me like it was practicing. A couple seagulls started flying after the eaglet, but they didn’t seem to be too distressed – not like they are with a mature eagle. After the few minutes that I was watching, the eaglet flew to the park and landed in the tree beside the nest tree.
Someone posted a video of the eaglet and an adult at/around the nest tree this morning on the Fairfield Gonzales Facebook group. The neighbours are keeping on eye on the eagles!

Mon Aug 14 - The eaglet was casually flying circles around Gonzales area then headed back to the nest tree. It put its feet down a couple blocks before the tree, like an airplane dropping its wheels preparing for landing!

Sat Aug 19 - I haven’t been out much that last several days because it was so hot so no eaglet sightings. On Wed Aug 16, I saw an adult perched in the big fir tree in the cemetery overlooking the middle of Ross Bay. A friend saw the eaglet in the nest tree on Thurs Aug 17.

[sassyk]

I have had some sad news regarding the fledged eaglet from the nest at Hollywood Park. Ann was away for 2 weeks so I wasn't able to get any info from her and I didn't seem to have time to get over to the park after my last visit on Aug. 9th. My birding friend who had visited the nest area during the season reported that she had been by the nest area a few times during the last week in Aug. until Sept. 4th and hadn't seen any eagles or the eaglet nor did she see any eagles or the eaglet near Clover Point where the adults were hanging out. Sadly she received news from a friend with the Migratory Bird Sanctuary and the Oak Bay Marine community that an eaglet dropped from the sky and landed in front of his vehicle as he was driving along a street a couple of blocks away from the park on Aug. 16th. Apparently it had hit a transformer and was deceased before it hit the ground. I asked Ann to verify the date her friend said he saw the eaglet but unfortunately he wasn't able to verify if it was on the 17th as he originally reported to Ann. Very sad ending to an exciting and challenging nest to monitor this past season. I hope the adults will manage to feed well and stay heathy during the winter months and return to their territory in a month or so. I am hoping they decide to rebuild their nest and produce an eaglet next spring

[sassyk]

This is the opening post for observations and photos of various eagle nests that don't have a dedicated thread set up for the 2023/2024 nesting season.

I reported on this eagle nest in a small development on Tsawout First Nations Reserve land in Saanichton on Vancouver Island several years ago. Unfortunately the nest fell down a few years ago and the resident eagles did not rebuild a new nest until this year. I visited this nest site on Oct. 12th with my birding partner, after she had been alerted to the eagles being seen building a new nest We are hoping the eagles will continue building this new nest and produce some eaglets next spring

This is a beautiful memorial carving just inside the gate to the complex.

[sassyk]

On Oct. 7th I visited the eagle nest that is near the entrance to Mt. Douglas Park in Saanich. I did not see or hear any eagles in the area.

This photo is a closeup of the newer nest the eagles have used for the past 2 years.

This photo is the old nest tree that was deemed unsafe by an arborist after losing the nest and a few of the bigger branches at the top of the tree. They cut most of the tree off but left a few meters at the bottom for other wildlife to use.

A photo of the old nest tree taken 14 July 2021; the nest fell down in July 2021, just after the 2 eaglets had started branching, but hadn't yet fledged.

[sassyk]

I received an update from Ann Smith on the activities of the eagles at Hollywood Park. She has seen them actively bringing in sticks and building a new nest She sent me a photo of the tree where they have placed the sticks; the 2 dark blobs in the tree. I will try to visit the park over the next few days.

[sassyk]

I visited the new nest that is close to Mount Douglas Park yesterday but did not see or hear any eagles in the area. I took a photo of the nest and I can see a few new sticks have been added If the eagles are successful in producing young this season I will open a new dedicated thread.

[sassyk]

I have received an update this morning from Ann Smith on the activities of the eagles at Hollywood Park. She is very fortunate to be able to see the perch tree at Gonzales Bay from her home and sees one or both of the eagles there perched on the snag tree most days. Ann often sees one of the eagles at the nest tree in the park although she hasn't seen them taking sticks to the nest tree lately. She noticed a few days ago that some branches had fallen from the new nest the eagles started to build. I will try to get over to the park and the bay before the Christmas holidays start!

[sassyk]

I have had a few reports from Ann Smith about the eagles at Hollywood Park over the past couple of months. She sees them almost daily, somewhere in the general area. My birding partner and I met Ann yesterday and while we were in the local cafe Ann saw both eagles at different times flying from the area of the nest tree towards the bay. We visited the park after we finished our coffee but did not see or hear the eagles. After my birding partner and I spent some time looking around the cemetery across the road we went back to the cafe for more coffee and something to eat. As we were pulling out of the shopping centre lot I spotted 2 black blobs perched in the nest tree down the road. When we parked across from the park we saw only one eagle and assumed the 2nd one flew off while we were driving. I managed to get some half/decent photos of the female with the band, perched on the branch beside where their nest had been last season. She was preening and had her wings out! Beautiful sight! I tried to get as close as possible and zoomed in on the eagle to see if any numbers were visible on the band but can't see any.

[sassyk]

My birding friend visited the nest area at Hollywood Park on March 6th but did not see the eagles in the area. She found both of them perched together a short distance away in one of their usual perch trees. It seems the eagles have not started building a new nest yet, after their nest fell at the end of the season last summer.

[sassyk]

I have reported on this nest on the Tsawout First Nations Reserve land in Saanichton in Central Saanich a few times in the past but the nest fell down a few years ago and the eagles have not built it up again until recently. I visited this nest with my birding partner on March 10th and we noticed there are some new sticks in the nest. Unfortunately, we did not see or hear any eagles.

[sassyk]

My birding friend visited the nest in Hollywood Park on March 6th but didn't see or hear the eagles in the area. She did not see any evidence of a new nest being built. However, she found the eagles a short distance away perched together on Crescent Rd. where they like to perch.

[sassyk]

I have reported on this nest in North Saanich, within the boundary of McDonald Park. My birding partner and I viewed this nest on Mar. 16th from Wain Rd. We were surprised and very pleased to see an eagle in the nest, appearing to be incubating

[sassyk]

I have reported on this nest in the area of Viaduct Flats in past years. I visited the area with my birding partner on Mar. 16th and saw both eagles in and out of the newer nest. One brought prey and was busy eating; the other one eventually flew into the nest and was eating leftovers.

This is the newer nest, to the right of the older nest.

This is the older nest.

Eagle in the newer nest with prey.