Royal Roads Eagles, Colwood, BC - 2019-2024 Seasons

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Re: Royal Roads Eagles, Colwood, BC - 2019-2022 Seasons

Post by sassyk » Wed Feb 16, 2022 3:32 pm

I was finally able to get out to visit the nest area on Feb. 13th. The nest looks intact but I didn't see any new sticks. There were no eagles seen or heard in the area. However, there have been several sightings of both eagles around Esquimalt Lagoon :thumlft:

Royal Roads Eagle Nest1 13 Feb. 2022.JPG

Royal Roads Eagle Nest2 13 Feb. 2022.JPG
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Re: Royal Roads Eagles, Colwood, BC - 2019-2022 Seasons

Post by sassyk » Sun Apr 10, 2022 3:37 pm

I visited the nest on Cottonwood Lane on April 7th. Sadly I did not see or hear any eagles in the area but chatted with a lady who walks her dog on the trails daily. She told me the eagles have been around for a few weeks, coming and going in the nest :thumlft: When I zoomed in on some of my photos of the nest I think I can see some white feathers between the sticks :woohoo:
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This photo shows the back side of the nest.
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Re: Royal Roads Eagles, Colwood, BC - 2019-2022 Seasons

Post by sassyk » Sun Apr 10, 2022 3:44 pm

I visited the Royal Roads nest on April 7th. As I was getting out of my vehicle I heard eagles squawking and saw both adults flying in being chased by an Osprey :ohmy: The eagles continued to squawk back and forth but I could not see them from the road beneath the nest. After several minutes I saw movement in the nest and managed to capture the tail feathers in the nest. When the action calmed down I captured the eagle lying down in the nest.

This photo was taken from the entrance to College Dr.
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These 2 photos were taken from the road beneath the nest.
IMG_6025 - Copy.JPG
IMG_6030 - Copy.JPG
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Re: Royal Roads Eagles, Colwood, BC - 2019-2022 Seasons

Post by sassyk » Sun Apr 10, 2022 3:47 pm

April 7th cont'd.
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This is the old nest tree taken from Esquimalt Lagoon.
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Re: Royal Roads Eagles, Colwood, BC - 2019-2022 Seasons

Post by sassyk » Sun Apr 17, 2022 8:16 am

I was at Esquimalt Lagoon on Thurs. Apr. 14th and saw one of the adult eagles circle overhead, making all the other ducks and birds take flight. It swooped down, chased and caught a duck, then flew to a tree at the other end of the bridge. I lost track of it but another observer said she saw it land with the duck. I did manage to capture a photo of it in flight before it grabbed the duck.
Royal Roads Eagle Over Esq. Lagoon 13 Apr. 2022.JPG

The trees where the eagle landed with the duck. Unfortunately I wasn't able to pinpoint just where the eagle was perched but the eagles perch in these trees quite often.
Royal Roads Eagle Esq. Lagoon 13 Apr. 2022.JPG
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Re: Royal Roads Eagles, Colwood, BC - 2019-2022 Seasons

Post by sassyk » Sat Apr 30, 2022 1:36 pm

I visited both nests at Royal Roads on April 27th. One of the eagles was perched in the usual tree near the nest tree and the other one was in the nest near the entrance to College Dr. I heard a very faint squawk as I approached the nest tree but otherwise all was quiet in the area. It is difficult to get a photo of the eagle in the nest when it is lying down and all I could capture was some white feathers between the sticks :roll:
Royal Roads Eagle 27 Apr. 2022.JPG
Royal Roads Eagle Nest(1) 27 Apr. 2022.JPG
Royal Roads Eagle Nest(2) 27 Apr. 2022.JPG
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Re: Royal Roads Eagles, Colwood, BC - 2019-2022 Seasons

Post by sassyk » Sat Apr 30, 2022 1:44 pm

I visited the 2nd nest on the Royal Roads property on April 27th. One of the adults was perched at the top of a tree near the nest tree. When it flew off a few minutes after I arrived the one in the nest squawked once but didn't get up.

Cottonwood Lane Eagle(1) 27 Apr. 2022.JPG
Cottonwood Lane Nest(2) 27 Apr. 2022.JPG

This is the view of the back of the nest.
Cottonwood Lane Nest (from trail behind nest) 27 Apr. 2022.JPG
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Re: Royal Roads Eagles, Colwood, BC - 2019-2022 Seasons

Post by sassyk » Sat Apr 30, 2022 1:47 pm

April 27th visit cont'd.

When I wandered down the trail to view the back of the nest I heard both eagles squawking back and forth and I could see one perched near the nest. When I got back to the other side of the nest I saw where the eagle was perched. I don't know whether the eagle in the nest got out and flew to the nearby tree or if the other eagle was the same one that flew away a short while earlier.
Cottonwood Lane Eagle(2) 27 Apr. 2022.JPG

I took these last 2 photos from the gate onto the Royal Roads property. They have been cropped a lot.
Cottonwood Lane Eagle (from gate) 27 Apr. 2022.JPG

Cottonwood Lane Nest (from gate) 27 Apr. 2022.JPG
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Re: Royal Roads Eagles, Colwood, BC - 2019-2022 Seasons

Post by sassyk » Fri May 13, 2022 11:24 am

I visited both nests on the Royal Roads property on May 5th. An adult was perched on the usual perch tree near the nest tree by the gates near the entrance to the Royal Roads property.
Royal Roads Eagle on nearby perch tree 5 May 2022.JPG

I heard an eagle in the nest squawk once but all I saw from the road beneath the nest was some white feathers above the branch.
Royal Roads Eagles (1) 5 May 2022.JPG

This is a view of the nest from the street, across from the school.
Royal Roads Eagle Nest(1) 5 May 2022.JPG
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Re: Royal Roads Eagles, Colwood, BC - 2019-2022 Seasons

Post by sassyk » Fri May 13, 2022 12:08 pm

May 10th cont'd.

The second nest on the Royal Roads property is active. However, during the entire time I was there I did not see the eagle or eaglets in the nest.

I took this first picture from the road before going through the gate onto the property.
Cottonwood Lane Eagle Nest(1) 10 May 2022.JPG

I took these next 2 pictures from the path below the nest, front and side views.
Cottonwood Lane Eagle Nest(2) 10 May 2022.JPG
Cottonwood Lane Eagle Nest(3) 10 May 2022.JPG
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Re: Royal Roads Eagles, Colwood, BC - 2019-2022 Seasons

Post by sassyk » Fri May 13, 2022 12:16 pm

May 10th cont'd.

This is a view of the back of the 2nd nest on the Royal Roads property.
Cottonwood Lane Eagle Nest(4) 10 May 2022.JPG

I took one final picture of the front of the nest before I left. This was after I had seen a wing flap in the nest while I was chatting with a lady. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera ready and missed getting a photo.
Cottonwood Eagle Nest(5) 10 May 2022.JPG

The 2nd eagle flew in and landed in the same perch tree as the last time I was there.
Cottonwood Lane Eagle 10 May 2022.JPG
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Re: Royal Roads Eagles, Colwood, BC - 2019-2022 Seasons

Post by sassyk » Thu May 26, 2022 2:37 pm

Yesterday afternoon my birding partner and I were excited to be in attendance when some very special people retrieved the lone eaglet in the Royal Roads nest to perform some tests and band the eaglet. Miles Lamont, who has worked with David Hancock for many years, and John, a fellow from the Ministry, took blood samples and recorded measurements and banded the eaglet, after the tree climber retrieved the eaglet from the nest and sent it down in a bag. The tree climber remained at the nest until the eaglet was sent up, to be put back into the nest. The eaglet was fitted with a hood which kept it calm while the guys were collecting the samples and recording the measurements. The hood was removed when they had finished and the eaglet became very feisty, trying to bite the guys. When the eaglet was placed on the ground it tried to escape and Miles had to pull it out from under the truck. This is a good indication that the eaglet will be able to fend for itself after it fledges.

A photo of Miles holding the eaglet. Posted with permission from Miles.
Miles Lamont with 8-week old eaglet.JPG
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Re: Royal Roads Eagles, Colwood, BC - 2019-2022 Seasons

Post by sassyk » Thu May 26, 2022 3:06 pm

May 25th Royal Roads Eaglet cont'd.

Some photos of the eaglet.
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Re: Royal Roads Eagles, Colwood, BC - 2019-2022 Seasons

Post by sassyk » Thu May 26, 2022 3:12 pm

May 25th Royal Roads Eaglet cont'd. Look at those talons :ohmy:


One more photo of the eaglet.
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The tree climber putting the eaglet back into the nest.
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The tree climber coming back down as Mom eagle flew overhead.
Quite understandably she was very vocal :)
IMG_7064 - Copy.JPG
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Re: Royal Roads Eagles, Colwood, BC - 2019-2022 Seasons

Post by sassyk » Fri May 27, 2022 9:37 am

May 25th cont'd.

The Ministry team went to the Cottonwood Lane nest earlier in the day, before going to the Royal Roads nest. Unfortunately my birding partner and I weren't notified so we did not attend. However, there are 3 eaglets in the nest :woohoo: and the team banded & recorded the measurements for 2 of the eaglets. I am hoping to visit the nest soon.
Member since 21 June 2006
Volunteer Nest Monitor for Wildlife Tree Stewardship Program (WiTS)
If you find a new nest, please contact me so it can be added to the WiTS mapping program.

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