Westshore, Metchosin and Sooke Bald Eagles - 2019-2024 Seasons

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Westshore, Metchosin and Sooke Bald Eagles - 2019-2024 Seasons

Post by sassyk » Wed Sep 25, 2019 12:41 pm

Welcome to the Westshore, Metchosin, and Sooke bald eagle thread for the 2019-2023 seasons.

There are several nests in these areas which are within 30 to 50 minutes from the Victoria area. Many of them have been successful in raising young over the past 10 years. Observations, photos and videos of bald eagles in these areas are welcome on this thread.

Observations for these nests for previous seasons:

2018/2019 Season here
2017/2018 Season here
2016/2017 Season here

Link to the opening post for the 2021/2022 nesting season here

Link to the opening post for the 2022/2023 nesting season here

Link to the opening post for the 2023/2024 nesting seaon here
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Re: Westshore, Metchosin and Sooke Bald Eagles - 2019/2020 Season

Post by sassyk » Tue Nov 26, 2019 12:16 pm

One of the eagles at Langford Lake was perched in their favourite tree near the bridge yesterday. A short while later it flew off down the lake and we didn't see where it landed. Awhile later we could hear both of them calling back & forth but still couldn't see them.
Langford Lake Eagle 25 Nov. 2019.JPG

Their old nest fell down a few years ago and then they built this nest where they produced 2 eaglets last season.
Langford Lake Nest 25 Nov. 2019.JPG

The old nest tree (tallest) on the left and newer one in the middle of the photo. A neighbour next to the development area said they were making a new nest farther away from the development.
Langford Lake Nest Trees 25 Nov. 2019.JPG
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Re: Westshore, Metchosin and Sooke Bald Eagles - 2019/2020 Season

Post by sassyk » Tue Nov 26, 2019 12:27 pm

As I was standing on the road taking a photo of the Farhill nest, one of the eagles appeared and flew over the road above us and out towards Albert Head Lagoon. When we arrived at the lagoon we heard them calling back & forth but couldn't see where they were perched.
Farhill Nest (front) 25 Nov. 2019.JPG

Back side of nest.
Farhill Nest (back) 25 Nov. 2019.JPG

This is their old nest a short distance down the road.
Old Farhill Nest 25 Nov. 2019.JPG
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Re: Westshore, Metchosin and Sooke Bald Eagles - 2019/2020 Season

Post by sassyk » Thu Jun 04, 2020 12:12 pm

My birding partner has reported there are 2 eagle chicks in the Langford Lake nest, 1 in the Farhill nest and 1 in the Witty's Lagoon nest. :woohoo:
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Re: Westshore, Metchosin and Sooke Bald Eagles - 2019/2020 Season

Post by sassyk » Tue Jul 14, 2020 5:09 pm

I visited the nests at Langford Lake, Farhill Rd. and Witty's Lagoon on July 9th.
It was so foggy we had a difficult time trying to find the nest trees :roll:

One of the adults from the Langford Lake nest was perched halfway down the
lake on the opposite side from the bridge where we were standing.
Langford Lake Eagle 9 July.JPG

There was 1 eaglet perched on a branch to the right of the nest and the 2nd
eaglet was behind the trunk of the tree. A bit of it is visible but very dark.
Langford Lake Eagles 9 July.JPG
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Re: Westshore, Metchosin and Sooke Bald Eagles - 2019/2020 Season

Post by sassyk » Tue Jul 14, 2020 5:14 pm

The eaglet in the Farhill Rd. nest was snoozing when we arrived at the nest site July 9th. An adult flew in and we thought it was going to land in the nest tree but it kept on going right past :ohmy: A while later the eaglet got up, flapped its wings and hopped onto a branch on the left side of the nest.
Farhill Rd Eaglet(1) 9 July.JPG
Farhill Rd Eaglet(2) 9 July.JPG

This photo was taken from the side of the nest visible from Duke Rd.
Farhill Rd Eaglet(3) 9 July.JPG
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Re: Westshore, Metchosin and Sooke Bald Eagles - 2019/2020 Season

Post by sassyk » Tue Jul 14, 2020 5:17 pm

The Farhill Rd. eaglet flew from the back of the nest tree, circled around then landed at the top of the nest tree. The adult flew over and again flew right past the tree. Sorry for the poor quality of the photos. it was a mixed bag of weather that day :roll:
Farhill Rd Eaglet(4) 9 July.JPG
Farhill Rd Eaglet(5) 9 July.JPG
Farhill Rd Eaglet(6) 9 July.JPG
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Re: Westshore, Metchosin and Sooke Bald Eagles - 2019/2020 Season

Post by sassyk » Tue Jul 14, 2020 5:22 pm

We viewed the Witty's Lagoon nest from Tower Point on July 9th and nearly got blown away :ohmy: It was foggy and very difficult to see the eaglet but I managed to get 1 photo of it perched on the right side of the nest.
Witty's Lagoon Eagles 9 July.JPG
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Re: Westshore, Metchosin and Sooke Bald Eagles - 2019/2020 Season

Post by gemini » Fri Jul 31, 2020 2:11 pm

2020 Cam Maintenance
Matching Drive

It's hard to believe that the fluffy little eaglets we first met in April are already flying around - and at least one of them is already half-way up the coast of British Columbia, feasting on salmon at one of the rivers with early salmon runs. The rest will be heading out soon, which will give us a brief window to clean the cameras, check the wiring and do any additional projects near the nests. Only one of our nests is currently sponsored (big thanks to Russ Cmolik for donating a new close-up cam for White Rock!) so we are asking those who enjoy the cams to help us get them ready for next year. We know life this year is different for many of us - but if you can help, we would really appreciate it.
Image

We have some big plans - two new cams for White Rock, replacement domes at Surrey Reserve and Delta 2, and hopefully getting to the bottom of the connectivity issue that keeps taking the South cam at Harrison Mills offline - and there will be some large expenses if we're going to do it all. We'll need a lift to get people up to the cams at White Rock and possibly at Delta, and the tree at Harrison Mills is very tall, requiring a professional climbing team if we are to do any work on the cams themselves.

If we can raise $10,000, we should be able to do the most essential work at most of the nests. And happily some friends of the eagles have pledged to match the first $1250 raised in the next three days - so if you adopt Delta 2, Harrison Mills, Surrey Reserve or White Rock for next year for $250, Hancock Wildlife will get $500!

The easiest way to adopt a nest is to
  • go to the "Donations" page on our website (https://hancockwildlife.org/donations/ - or click the button below)
  • click the "Donate via CanadaHelps Now!" link
  • enter the amount of your donation ($250 to adopt the nest of your choice for the coming year)
  • pick "Adopt a Nest" from the Fund list
  • use the message box to say which nest you are adopting and how you would like your name to be listed
  • fill in your contact information and credit card details, and
  • click "Complete Donation Now"
Image

And if this isn't a good time for adopting a nest, you can also make a donation of any amount to the "Eagle Cams/General Repairs" fund or you can make a monthly donation by changing the highlighted box at the top of the page from "Donate Now" to "Donate Monthly" (the first month's donation is eligible to be matched). Many of the funds have a suggested amount - but that is just a suggestion. The amount you put in the Amount box is what you'll donate.

You don't need to be in Canada to use CanadaHelps - and the rate of exchange right now is favorable to those of us in the United States - a donation of $250 Canadian dollars is currently less than $200 US dollars, so if you give $250 through CanadaHelps (or PayPal), HWF gets $250 Canadian dollars, and the cost to you is based on the current rate of exchange.

You can also use the other methods on the Donations page, but it's not as easy to provide all the information, so if you're sending a check or planning to give a donation directly to someone at HWF, please let me ([email protected]) or gemini ([email protected]) know a donation is coming so it gets included in the matching drive.

And if you have any questions about any of this, please do contact me or gemini and we'll be happy to help.
Image

Thank You!
Image


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Re: Westshore, Metchosin and Sooke Bald Eagles - 2019/2020 Season

Post by sassyk » Wed Aug 05, 2020 4:57 pm

This has indeed been a very strange season for eagle watching. I have not been able to get out to the nests I monitor on a regular basis and have sadly missed a lot of the action at the nests. My birding partner has reported that the Langford Lake, Witty's Lagoon and Farhill eaglets have all successfully fledged. I wish them luck with their travels to the salmon spawning grounds and hope to see them back in their territory within the next 2 months.
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Re: Westshore, Metchosin and Sooke Bald Eagles - 2019/2020/2021 Seasons

Post by sassyk » Mon Oct 26, 2020 12:08 pm

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, I have not been able to get out to check the activities of the eagles. Therefore this thread will be continuing to include observations, photos & videos of the eagles for the 2020/2021 nesting season. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the eagles will produce offspring this season :luck:

My sister reported seeing an adult eagle circling over the lake a couple of weeks ago. I hope to visit the area soon.
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Re: Westshore, Metchosin and Sooke Bald Eagles - 2019/2020/2021 Seasons

Post by sassyk » Wed Oct 28, 2020 10:08 pm

My birding partner saw 2 adults in the nest on Farhill Rd. on Oct. 22nd :thumlft:
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Re: Westshore, Metchosin and Sooke Bald Eagles - 2019/2020/2021 Seasons

Post by sassyk » Fri Nov 27, 2020 5:40 pm

I visited the Farhill nest yesterday with my birding partner but we didn't see or hear any eagles in the area.
Their nest is intact.
IMG_0937 - Copy.JPG
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Re: Westshore, Metchosin and Sooke Bald Eagles - 2019/2020/2021 Seasons

Post by sassyk » Fri Nov 27, 2020 5:43 pm

I visited the area of Witty's Lagoon yesterday with my birding partner. We saw both eagles from the nest; one on the marker on the nearby small island.
IMG_0942 - Copy - Copy.JPG

The 2nd eagle flew in and perched in the tall tree near the nest tree.
IMG_0946 - Copy.JPG

The nest tree.
IMG_0947 - Copy.JPG
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Re: Westshore, Metchosin and Sooke Bald Eagles - 2019/2020/2021 Seasons

Post by sassyk » Mon Mar 29, 2021 1:00 pm

I visited the Farhill Rd. nest on Mar. 26th. One of the eagles was barely visible in the nest at the bottom of the 'V' branch on the left.
Farhill Eagle in Nest 26 Mar. 2021.JPG

As I was leaving the area to view the nest from Duke Rd. I saw an eagle flying towards the nest. When I got to Duke Rd. an eagle was flying away from the nest. I was assuming the eagles either changed places or the first one I saw was delivering prey to the one in the nest. The nest from Duke Rd.
Farhill Nest from Duke Rd.(2) 26 Mar. 2021.JPG
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