TERF17 (tracked 11/4/21-5/10/23)
Moderator: Tracked Eagles TA's
TERF17 (tracked 11/4/21-5/10/23)
Link to TERF17's Tracking Map
TERF17 is a female eagle who ended up at OWL (the Orphaned Wildlife rehab center in Delta, BC) in the fall of 2021 after a fight with TERF16. She was tagged on November 5, 2021, and Myles noted that she was a younger bird with some coloration in her eye and flecking around her head.
BAEA21-48 - TERF17
Banding Date: Nov 4 2021
USFW Band #: 0679-04620 (right leg)
Banded: Blue marker K over 7 on its left leg
Rescued: from Maple Ridge, taken to OWL
Age: adult (hatched in 2015)
Eye color: not listed (presume pale yellow)
Sex: Female
Note: previously brought to OWL in 2015 from Abbotsford after a poor fledge
Sad news: TERF17 was found dead in her nest on May 9 2023 - more details starting here.
Photo by Myles Lamont of TERF17 at OWL on November 5, 2021 (clicks much bigger).
TERF17 is a female eagle who ended up at OWL (the Orphaned Wildlife rehab center in Delta, BC) in the fall of 2021 after a fight with TERF16. She was tagged on November 5, 2021, and Myles noted that she was a younger bird with some coloration in her eye and flecking around her head.
BAEA21-48 - TERF17
Banding Date: Nov 4 2021
USFW Band #: 0679-04620 (right leg)
Banded: Blue marker K over 7 on its left leg
Rescued: from Maple Ridge, taken to OWL
Age: adult (hatched in 2015)
Eye color: not listed (presume pale yellow)
Sex: Female
Note: previously brought to OWL in 2015 from Abbotsford after a poor fledge
Sad news: TERF17 was found dead in her nest on May 9 2023 - more details starting here.
Photo by Myles Lamont of TERF17 at OWL on November 5, 2021 (clicks much bigger).
2023 Eaglet Info ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Helpful Hints
Re: Tracking TERF17
Summary of Reported Travels (last updated May 26, 2023)
I'm glad that we were able to follow your travels for a while - and sad that your time here was so short. Wishing you fair winds and lots of fish, TERF17, wherever you may be.
Harrison Mills - Washington State (2021)
- Received tracker November 4 2020 at the OWL (Orphaned Wildlife) Rehabilitation Society facility in Delta, BC.
- After being released, she headed east on November 8, towards the Harrison Mills area; she stayed there through December 14.
- She then headed southwest, crossing into Washington State by December 16 and stayed there through the 24th.
Greater Delta-Surrey Area (2021-2022)
- From December 24th through March 1 2022, TERF17 seemed to be based in the Delta area but made lots of jaunts to places like Maple Ridge, Langley and the Pitt River.
- Starting March 2nd, she stayed fairly close to what we have learned was her nest through July 19th, though she did seem to be going farther from the nest in July.
Summer Vacation (2022)
- TERF17 began heading north on July 20th, and crossed over to the Alaskan Panhandle on July 26.
- She spent some time on the mainland across from Admiralty Island from July 29 - August 4
- She then headed northeast into BC and spent some time along the Nakina River north of Inklin through August 24.
- Next was a quick trip down a series of rivers, past Tulsequah and into Alaska, then back to her preferred spot along the Nakina River again by September 4th.
- She then headed south to the border between Northern BC and the Alaskan Panhandle and stayed near what might be the Whiting River from September 6 to 13, then continued down the Panhandle at a leisurely pace, crossing into BC on October 3rd.
- She spent a few days along the Lakelse River from October 4-8 (it seems to be a popular spot for many of our eagles with trackers), then made good time heading south, checking in from near Squamish on October 12th and reaching her home territory on October 13.
- After (perhaps) a quick check of her nest, she headed east past Mission to the Fraser River, and stayed in that general area from October 14 to 24; she didn't go as far as Harrison Mills this time, but spent time in an area she'd visited the previous year.
Greater Delta-Surrey Area (2022-2023)
- She arrived back in her territory on October 25, and unlike the previous year, she didn't do a lot of running around during the winter, limiting most of her excursions to about 1.5 km (a little less than a mile) from her nest. She did make two quick trips to the vicinity of the landfill, about 10km/6mi away, one February 15-16 and the second February 24-25.
- She stayed very close to the nest March 9-19, then was checking in from a bit further out March 20-April 2nd.
- Starting April 3rd, she again stayed close to the nest, at a different location each day, but generally within 15 meters/50 feet of the nest.
- The tracker stopped moving either on or after May 4th (there appeared to be a slight change when I clicked to the 5th but nothing after that).
- We were able to send a drone up several days later, and found that TERF17 was dead on her nest. A climber was able to retrieve her body, but it was too deteriorated to determine a cause of death. There was already another female in the area when the climber was there, so she may have lost a territorial battle, but we will never know.
- The tracker was brought back to Hancock Wildlife on May 12, 2023, and may continue transmitting from that location for a while.
I'm glad that we were able to follow your travels for a while - and sad that your time here was so short. Wishing you fair winds and lots of fish, TERF17, wherever you may be.
2023 Eaglet Info ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Helpful Hints
Re: Tracking TERF17
Added May 28, 2023
Here are three more overview maps to go with the summary in the previous post.
The first map is a somewhat closer look at her travels in the lower mainland, out to Harrison Mills and down to Washington State; please do read through the thread - there's a lot more information there.
The next one provides a bit of a closer look of the part of northern BC and the Alaskan Panhandle where she spent her summer vacation last year.
And the third one shows the area around the landfill (on the left), where she spent quite a bit of time the first winter after getting her tracker, and her home territory, with her nest sort of in the middle of the red splotch on the right.
I'll also add a few additional views of her territory at the end of the thread.
Here are three more overview maps to go with the summary in the previous post.
The first map is a somewhat closer look at her travels in the lower mainland, out to Harrison Mills and down to Washington State; please do read through the thread - there's a lot more information there.
The next one provides a bit of a closer look of the part of northern BC and the Alaskan Panhandle where she spent her summer vacation last year.
And the third one shows the area around the landfill (on the left), where she spent quite a bit of time the first winter after getting her tracker, and her home territory, with her nest sort of in the middle of the red splotch on the right.
I'll also add a few additional views of her territory at the end of the thread.
2023 Eaglet Info ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Helpful Hints
Re: Tracking TERF17
6:33 pm Just had a look at TERF17's tracking map and it's interesting that when she was released, she headed straight for the Harrison/Chehalis flats where eagles from all over congregate to dine on the spawned out salmon in the late fall and early winter. I am wondering if there are any fish to be had - with all the rain and flooding we've been having it's likely the salmon carcasses have been washed down river towards the ocean! She seems to be sticking around the area so there must be something!
(Maps click bigger)
Here is TERF17's flight path since leaving OWL on Nov 5th. She has been there since the 10th of Nov.
A close up view of her destination point - for those of you who have been to the Fraser River Eagle Festival in the past, you will recognize some of the key observation and activity points on this map.
(Maps click bigger)
Here is TERF17's flight path since leaving OWL on Nov 5th. She has been there since the 10th of Nov.
A close up view of her destination point - for those of you who have been to the Fraser River Eagle Festival in the past, you will recognize some of the key observation and activity points on this map.
Re: Tracking TERF17
as of December 14th 4:01pm TERF17 continued (mostly) at Harrison/Chehalis flats
Re: Tracking TERF17
TERF17 moved southeast - all the way into Washington.
Dec 15th, 4:01pm - she's by the Nooksack River - this region of British Columbia and Washington has recently experienced extreme flooding conditions, and flooding continues in many areas.
Dec 15th, 4:01pm - she's by the Nooksack River - this region of British Columbia and Washington has recently experienced extreme flooding conditions, and flooding continues in many areas.
Re: Tracking TERF17
December 17th
8:02am - TERF17 continues in same area of the Nooksack River
8:02am - TERF17 continues in same area of the Nooksack River
Re: Tracking TERF17
December 18th - Go Girl! TERF17 is further south in Washington
Dec 17 - 8:02am still by Nooksack River
travelled south...
Dec 18 - 4:01pm - near highway 9, south of Mirror Lake, east of Lake Whatcom - southeast of Bellingham
Dec 17 - 8:02am still by Nooksack River
travelled south...
Dec 18 - 4:01pm - near highway 9, south of Mirror Lake, east of Lake Whatcom - southeast of Bellingham
Re: Tracking TERF17
December 21st
8am & 10am - TERF17 continues in same area, a little south along the Samish River, east side of Highway 9
8am & 10am - TERF17 continues in same area, a little south along the Samish River, east side of Highway 9
Re: Tracking TERF17
December 23rd tracker check in for TERF17 - updates locations on Dec 22nd -
10:01am - still at Samish River
4:01pm - west, across I5, to Oyster Creek, east of Larrabee State Park
closer to Samish Bay, Samish flats - many raptors including Bald Eagles in these areas of Washington especially this time of year
10:01am - still at Samish River
4:01pm - west, across I5, to Oyster Creek, east of Larrabee State Park
closer to Samish Bay, Samish flats - many raptors including Bald Eagles in these areas of Washington especially this time of year
Re: Tracking TERF17
January 5th tracker update showed that TERF17 returned to BC by day after previous track location
Dec 23rd at 4:01pm - she was south of Bear Creek Park
Dec 23rd at 4:01pm - she was south of Bear Creek Park
Re: Tracking TERF17
January 6 - TERF17 at 4:05am
group map shows two other tracker eagles nearby, although not at same times
group map shows two other tracker eagles nearby, although not at same times
Re: Tracking TERF17
January 8th - another tracker update surprise! TERF17 has travelled east, close to TERF16's territory
this morning a bit northeast, in trees
4:01pm - at northern side of Fraser River
latest tracker site for TERF16 in this map on Jan 7th 10am.
The suspense continues...
this morning a bit northeast, in trees
4:01pm - at northern side of Fraser River
latest tracker site for TERF16 in this map on Jan 7th 10am.
The suspense continues...
Re: Tracking TERF17
January 10th - TERF17 moved away from TERF16/s territory
10am - TERF17 is back at the landfill - along with a couple of other tracker eagles
The group map is a dense mat of colorful tracker lines.
TERF02, TERF08 and BETA03 all nearby
10am - TERF17 is back at the landfill - along with a couple of other tracker eagles
The group map is a dense mat of colorful tracker lines.
TERF02, TERF08 and BETA03 all nearby