Chaster Beach Eagle Nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast - Seasons 2020-2024

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

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stim
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Chaster Beach Eagle Nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast - Seasons 2020-2024

Post by stim » Sun Oct 06, 2019 11:25 am

Welcome to this nest site. The nest tree is on private property on Chaster Beach on the Strait of Georgia in Gibsons, BC. There is a claim out there that it is 400 years old.
Just follow Gower Point Rd out of Gibsons until you drive onto Beach Esplanade. The nest tree is upside of the road about 2/3 of the way along The Esplanade.
This is a well established nest, over 25 years old according to people who live there. Apparently the tree is 400 years old.
We've been following nest activity here since 2011. At that time we noticed that Pa is banded on his right leg. We've been unsuccessful getting all the numbers off the band to trace his history but keep trying. A friend who has followed this nest for 19 years says Pa has had the band from her beginning with him! On his return from the fishing fields each fall we look for his band to make sure it is our Pa.
Youngsters here tend to be about a month behind the norm for local eaglets since Pa found a new mate after Ma disappeared in 2014.
Please feel free to submit pictures, or just drop in to say hi and tell us of any eagle activity you see if you visit this nest site.

History:
2011 not being used
2012 July, 2 eaglets seen fledged
2013 2 eaglets seen Prince & Abby
2014 Jan 5 one adult seen. Eaglets ? I met a neighbour who lives nearby who told me that the young are heard in the morning and evening.
2015 1 eaglet, 1 seen after fledging
2016 2 eaglets Pico and Elusive fledged
2017 1 eaglet seen flying on or around July 20
2018 2 eaglets confirmed fledged Aug 5, still there August 16, both heard talking to each other but not seen.
2019 2 eaglets confirmed in the nest, 1 confirmed fledged. We hope the second one got out of the nest and away from us before we could claim its fledge status.
2020 A lovely fledgling was seen being fed by Pa on Aug 5. Pics I got of the fledgling are on page 2 before the start of our next season.
2021 One fledgling finally left the nest toward the end of Aug. Pa stayed around, mostly seen on a favourite perch tree at the far end of the beach. I last saw our fledgling Sept 1, no sign of Pa.
Our next season, 2022 has begun as Karen has seen Pa, got some good photos of his band so once again we know it is him.




Season 2023-2024 begins here
Season 2022-2023 begins here
Season 2021-2022 begins here

stim
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Re: Chaster Beach Eagle Nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast 2019-2020

Post by stim » Sun Oct 06, 2019 11:28 am

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Re: Chaster Beach Eagle Nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast 2019-2020

Post by stim » Sun Oct 06, 2019 11:29 am

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Re: Chaster Beach Eagle Nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast 2019-2020

Post by stim » Sun Oct 06, 2019 3:23 pm

I checked on this nest Sept 27 looking for 1 or both of our eagles. None to be seen nor heard at the time. These are pics of the nest as it was then, first from the front, then from beyond the Love Shack. It looks like some sticks have been added at the front compared to how it looked in August.
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Mushka
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Re: Chaster Beach Eagle Nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast 2019-2020

Post by Mushka » Mon Oct 14, 2019 10:07 pm

Thank you for opening this thread Sandra. I was along OBE walking our dog on October 3rd and noticed an eagle on the beach, eating. I was able to take a couple of pictures from the roadway before the eagle flew off and after downloading the pictures was able to clearly see a band on the right leg, Pa !

After putting Yogi back into the vehicle I walked down to the water to see what was being eaten, it was an octopus, maybe they are too tough or not very interesting, but for some reason Pa did not eat much before flying off.

Karen H

Please click onto the pictures to enlarge

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Eagle, which turned out to be Pa, eating on the beach. If you look closely you can see the octopus he is standing on.
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The octopus!
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The band on the right leg is clearly visible when the eagle flies away

stim
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Re: Chaster Beach Eagle Nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast 2019-2020

Post by stim » Tue Oct 15, 2019 8:17 am

I was hoping you'd post these Karen! Marvellous pictures! I love that you caught Pa's band first thing this fall. We know it's him! Lots of octopus to share. Unique discovery. :thumlft:

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Re: Chaster Beach Eagle Nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast 2019-2020

Post by Mushka » Wed Oct 16, 2019 10:43 pm

Thank you Sandra! Yesterday I was back walking along OBE with Yogi and saw Pa eating again. Not an octopus this time :) Will post some pictures I took from the roadway soon, this was closer to the larger pullout with the little outhouse.

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Re: Chaster Beach Eagle Nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast 2019-2020

Post by Mushka » Fri Oct 18, 2019 9:07 pm

I was back along Ocean Beach Esplanade again on Tuesday with our dog (Yogi) and while driving to the end of the road noticed Pa Chaster perched on a rock eating. Again ! This time he had apparently just stolen a fish from a river otter, I missed the fish swap but did see the otter just as it left the rock, leaving the fish behind. I took a few pictures from the roadway while Pa ate and a small contingent of crows flew in and waited patiently.

I don't know if he left them anything because I then drove to the end of the road and started walking with Yogi.

While we were on our walk, heading back along the road, I noticed a family of otters playing / swimming just off shore, and then one coming up with a rather large flounder!

Shortly after an adult eagle few in and perched in a tree, watching. There is no band, so maybe Ma Chaster ? Or another eagle passing by ?

But the otters were wise to eagles now after just losing a fish to Pa Chaster so quickly came in to shore and all ran as fast as they could towards the bank (and probably their den), the otter with the fish in the lead :)

Karen H

Please click onto the pictures to enlarge

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I arrived just after Pa Chaster had stolen a fish from the otter, who quickly disappeared back into the water
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Enjoying his free meal
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Crows patiently waiting for scraps
Last edited by Mushka on Fri Oct 18, 2019 9:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Mushka
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Re: Chaster Beach Eagle Nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast 2019-2020

Post by Mushka » Fri Oct 18, 2019 9:13 pm

A few more pictures from Tuesday further down Ocean Beach Esplanade.

Karen H

Please click onto the pictures to enlarge

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Otter family on a rock partically submerged, one with the flounder
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Adult watching, no band, maybe Ma Chaster ?
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Running as fast as they can back to their den, with the fish

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Re: Chaster Beach Eagle Nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast 2019-2020

Post by stim » Wed Oct 23, 2019 9:44 am

Wow, you did see a lot going on Karen! Otters aren't something I've seen there recently. How cool if we have them to observe now along with eagles!
I don't feel I know Ma Chaster but we can hope that she has now returned too!
Thank you for the great sightings, photos and reporting!

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Re: Chaster Beach Eagle Nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast 2019-2020

Post by stim » Sun Nov 03, 2019 4:03 pm

This visit to the nest site was Oct 27. I arrived to find Pa perched on his bouncy branch, then discovered Ma was hidden in the greenery by the nest, possibly in the nest as she flew out, up the roadway toward Roberts Creek and up to the right into the evergreens, to return with a branch for the nest. Pa departed as well, returned with a branch and so they did a few times while I watched, snapped pictures, talked with people walking by. Lots going on during the time I was there but apparently 2-3 hours after I left both humpbacks and then orcas swam by!
What was missing was Pa's band in any of the photos I took. The behaviour of choosing his bouncy branch to land and depart from is like our Pa's. A week prior to this visit Karen got pics of Pa wearing his band.

The first people I met was this couple joking about getting their picture taken, so I did and they gave me permission to post it. Very near the nest tree.
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Ma was the first to fly away for a stick. Pics can be enlarged by clicking on them.
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Next Pa followed Ma to the same spot she headed.
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Pa returning with a small stick.
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Pa going in for a landing without a stick. I love how gracefully they land.
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Front of the nest with more sticks than on my last visit.
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A group of gulls having a feeding fest the whole time I was there. No wonder the whales arrived.
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Heron on the feeding rock also looking for food.
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It proved to be a busy visit with over 100 pics snapped. :w00t:

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Re: Chaster Beach Eagle Nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast 2019-2020

Post by Mushka » Thu Dec 26, 2019 10:19 pm

Lots of action during your visit Sandra, wonderful pictures and nice to know that the nest is being built up. Funny about the couple having their picture taken :-) Sounds like it was very busy along OBE with the orcas and humpbacks going by later too!

I was down that way on December 15th with Yogi and as we drove towards the end of OBE to walk from that end I noticed a couple of people standing on the roadway looking down at the beach, so of course stopped to see what they were looking at. It was Pa standing in the creek getting a drink. I didn't see any activity at the nest tree or Ma but was nice to see the band and know that it was Pa Chaster having a drink.

Karen H

Please click onto the pictures to enlarge

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stim
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Re: Chaster Beach Eagle Nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast 2019-2020

Post by stim » Fri Dec 27, 2019 9:20 am

Nice photos of our Pa Karen. And good that Pa flashed his bling for you, which he did not do for me in my last photos! I figured it was gone. Will keep checking it again now!

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Re: Chaster Beach Eagle Nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast 2019-2020

Post by marg » Sat Dec 28, 2019 9:28 am

Thanks for the collection of pictures you two!
Sunshinecoast Marg
Member since 2006

Image

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Re: Chaster Beach Eagle Nest on the Strait of Georgia, Gibsons BC on the Sunshine Coast 2019-2020

Post by Mushka » Tue Feb 04, 2020 10:11 pm

I've been by the nest a few times while walking our dog but haven't seen much in the way of eagle activity lately, then on Sunday (Feb. 2nd) while driving along Ocean Beach Esplanade I saw the shape of an eagle perched on the curved branch beside the nest so thought it might be Pa Chaster. After I pulled over to take some pictures and zoomed in with the camera I realized that it wasn't an adult eagle at all.

Wondering if this may be a previous years youngster back for a visit ? Certainly seemed quite at home :)

Karen H

Please click onto the pictures to enlarge

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Curious, watching a woman and her dog walk underneath the branch.

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