Tracking TERF26/Annie

[JudyB]

Update to my previous comment:

Lynne reminded me that 2021 fledgling TERF10/Parksville may not have returned to the actual territory where he or she hatched, but has been spending some quality time on Vancouver Island within 10 kilometers or thereabouts of her parents' nest in Parksville.

When she initially left the nest area, she/he headed northwest up Vancouver Island, flying 200 kilometers in a couple of days, so it seems unlikely that she/he would have followed the parents to nearby areas of interest. When she/he returned to that general area in the fall, I suspect she/he was following other eagles, possibly including one or both parents, but since they weren't tagged, we don't know if/when any of them hunted/scavenged in those areas.

Thanks, Lynne!

[NSEN]

Annie and mate Sam have been seen many times out on Grebe Islets as I did yesterday when I went to visit the owner of the pair's now, old, nest on the waterfront. According this monitor the pair have not been hanging out on their usual tree perches within view of her house since they built their new nest last year so she doesn't get to see them as often. As I was leaving and outside one of them flew to a now dead favourite perch tree (an issue we now have of trees dying), called out to warn off an immature eagle (lots around these days) flying by, and the mate hidden somewhere, answered. The monitors have not seen Annie or Sam bringing nesting materials to the nest but there is time yet.

Interesting to note that Annie and Harbour Sun continue to abide by their hidden rules of not intruding into each others territory. I had wondered if outside of the breeding season they might cross the line but no they don't! As you can see from the blue line, Harbour Sun still travels further than Annie (orange line) does in their local area. When the fishing boats are out the eagles fly out to them and I suspect that is where Harbour Sun flew to.

[NSEN]

I have just been corrected by David Hancock re what I call invisible territory lines and breeding season so my previous post has some untruths in it.

We are in the midst of breeding season NOT outside of it so this is the time the nesting eagles are strongly defending their territory and they do that by perching at the edge of their territory and screaming aloud about it.

And it is not an invisible line but a very definite worked out line which is then strongly defended!

So much to learn!

[NSEN]

Feb 19th. Since late January blasting at a site on the waterfront just over 100 meters away from Annie's nest commenced. Early February I was hearing concerns from neighbours about the continued blasting so close to egg laying dates. Last year Annie laid eggs March 17th but the year before was March 3 and previous 2 years in-between those dates. When a 10 day blasting extension was asked for I contacted Stephanie Louie from WV District with my concerns. Feb 12 a meeting on site was held with S. Louie, Roe Environmental, formerly Sartori, and blasters, owners, neighbours. S. Louie was confident in Roe's plan for "Eagle Behaviour and associated Construction Noise Recommendations" to allow the 10 day blasting permit to go ahead. This is 10 working days so they could be blasting up to Feb 28th. Roe Environmental has a staff member on site from 7 in morning to after last blast around 3pm. She looks for the eagles and monitors their reaction to the blasting of which there are only 3 a day. They are using extra blasting mats to help muffle the sound. Annie and Sam have been seen in the nest a few times but not during a blast. Myles increased the frequency that Annie's tracker checks in to every 2 hours on Feb 17th so we can see if the tracker catches her in the nest. She was only checking in at 8 am and 4pm so close to, or at, roosting times. Since the increased check in times Anne has been picked up in the nest yesterday, Sunday Feb 18 at 2pm. There is no blasting on Saturday or Sundays and today is a holiday so another day of reprieve although maybe it would be better to just get it over and done with sooner than later! TBD!!

[NSEN]

Today is the last day of blasting! The good news is Annie and Sam have both been seen in the nest on a few occasions during this time and yesterday (Feb 26) at Noon the tracker picked Annie in the nest. Hoping the blasting and the subsequent construction noise have not/will not affect their egg laying.

Sunday afternoon 2:30- 3pm'ish Feb 25th the wind was coming from the north with the temperature (4C) dropping hourly. There were no eagles (nor any birds in sight!) on Grebe Islets or in the choppy water and even the seals were not hauled out on their rocks as I think it was probably warmer in the water than out in the wind! As we were walking out of the park close to the nest tree we heard, then saw, 4 adult eagles flying furiously around in tight circles above the trees. Was this an intruding eagle pair I wondered? At 4pm Annie's tracker picked her up on the west side of Eagle Harbour which is Harbour Sun's territory! Harbour Sun's tracker did not pick her up in Annie's territory so it wasn't Harbour Sun and Eagle Eye that were doing the intruding but why did Annie end up way over there? Was she escaping from intruders? Leading them away? Or just having fun? By 6pm she was back in her territory. And the next day Feb 26 she was in all her usual perches and some new ones plus the nest. The tracker picked her up 8 times on the 26th! It's way more fun seeing a more detailed track of Annie than just twice a day.

Here is an incidental note - Annie, more times than not, circles around her perches in a clockwise pattern. Not sure if this has any relevance!

[NSEN]

Two photos from Feb 26.
1.View out towards East Grebe Islet, Passage Island with Bowen Island in far distance

2.View south looking at Lighthouse Park

[NSEN]

Feb 27th a cold and snowy day. Photo of Sam in one of their favourite perch trees. It's a shame the tree is dying, top down.


Feb 27 Tracker info: 7am Klootchman Park. 8am West Grebe, 10 am it looks like at nest tree. 1pm just east of nest, 3 pm again just north of nest, 4pm in Friskies tree where Sam at 3pm. All points are only a couple of trees away from nest so with trackers margin of error could mean at the nest. SMcD//

[NSEN]

March 24 update:
March 2nd tracker shows Annie in nest tree.
March 5th Andrew was at building site early this morning and while he was standing there with the crew they watched one of the adults land about 30-40 ft away just past the pile of blasted rock and gather up a large amount of moss and proceed to fly to the nest with some moss trailing out behind it. It did not seem the least bit concerned with the group of men being so close. JW//
March 6 snowing lightly in morning. Afternoon sunny and cold. Trackers shows: 6:30am in Klootchman Park, 10 am close by, noon Construction Site, 2pm way up above the HWY in Cypress Falls Park! 4Pm East Grebe. So last couple of days in the nest but also several trips up the slopes and one big trip. SMcD//
March 9th this morning saw both Sam and Annie perched side by side on a branch of Friskies tree. Then they mated. One left shortly afterwards. I haven’t seen them together for much of this week so assumed they had laid eggs but this afternoon saw both adults on Grebe Islets so maybe they haven’t. I have seen one leave the nest. JW// the tracker certainly does not support the laying of eggs but maybe we are close. SMcD//
March 16 Annie not checked in since March 11. Could it be she is sitting and not getting enough sunshine onto her tracker so her battery is dead? Really hard to see into this nest and no one has seen any movement in the nest. SMcD//
March 16 two adults on Grebe Islets. Last time both seen together by Judy. JW//
March 20 Annie’s tracker has not checked in since the 11th so went to look for her. While I was at nest site one eagle flew into nest, stayed about 5 mins then left and perched on an ocean side tree top. Could not see tracker so think this was the male. No talking in the nest so I don't thing there was a second sitting eagle in there. Then walked down to Klootchman Park to check out Grebe Islets. Two adults there perched together (Annie and Sam?). An immature arrived and an adult took off with the immature after it. I think immature was female because it was bigger than the adult (therefore the adult Sam?). The immature was quite aggressive. The adults had been feeding on small fish successfully before the immature arrived. 2nd immature arrived. This was so unusual to have the immature do the chasing! Eventually the male left Grebe Islet and flew towards LHP. The eagle I presume to be Annie, stayed out of the fight on top of the beacon the whole time. I never did see a tracker but she stayed out on Grebe Islet and it was 'heavily misting' so visibility was very poor. So I presume Annie ok but tracker not and obviously no eggs laid yet. Ran into owner of nest tree and she had seen the pair mating a few days ago. SMcD//
March 24 8:30 am lots of calling this am, and we just saw a large adult fly into the nest. KP//

From Myles. "Unit shows it last checked in on Mar 11. Battery is good. If you can confirm the bird is around with a photo I can pass that onto the manufacturer to try to warranty it if it is indeed malfunctioned. It is pulling a point every hour right now." I'm not 100% clear on what this means! We are trying to get photo of Annie but need someone with a good camera and she is just not showing up. Sally

[NSEN]

March 24 afternoon. Found Annie! She was on treetop near her nest. Tried to get a photo of the backpack thru binoculars but too blurry. Found an adult on the Beacon on Grebe Islet who I assume to be Sam so no eggs laid yet. Sally

[NSEN]

April 27. Sad news, Annie and Sam have not laid eggs and looks like they are not going to. Since April 1st they have not been seen at the nest or on their usual perches near the nest. Instead they seem to be spending more time at Grebe Islets, their hunting grounds.
One long time monitor said, "they did not seem to be agitated or disturbed by the construction, in fact appeared they carried on as normal". Another monitor said," I know we can't prove the construction stressed this pair so they were not able to breed but it could well very be connected and that is important to note". I tend to agree with the latter. This pair have consistently produced young since they moved into the area in 2018 and have survived two intruders that sent Annie to OWL both times. Hoping they stick around for next year.