Brentwood Bay Eagles, Central Saanich BC - 2017/2018 Season

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Brentwood Bay Eagles, Central Saanich BC - 2017/2018 Season

Post by sassyk » Mon Feb 26, 2018 11:14 am

Welcome to the Brentwood Bay Eagles thread for the 2017/2018 season. This nest is on private property in the Brentwood Bay area. These eagles have produced many offspring in previous seasons and 3 successful fledglings this past season in their nest on Wallace Drive in Central Saanich. The eagles can be seen hunting in the field across from their nest tree on Wallace Drive and fishing around Brentwood Bay.

It was originally thought that the eagles have an alternate nest a short distance away near the path into Centennial Park, but I have recently been informed there were eaglets in both nests in previous years. This nest is also on private property and can be viewed from the dead end street behind the Veterinary Hospital on the corner of Wallace Drive and Stelly's Cross Road. They have raised several offspring in this nest over the years.

I have not visited the nest areas yet this season; however a friend reported she had seen both adults perched in a tree close to their nest tree on Wallace Drive in early February.

Please feel welcome to post observations, photos, videos of these eagles if you visit their nest areas.

Links to previous seasons:
2016/2017 Season
2015/2016 Season
2014/2015 Season
2013/2014 Season
2010-2013 Seasons

Article that was published in the Times Colonist newspaper July 19, 2007.

Young eagle rescued after Central Saanich crash

By Times Colonist (Victoria)July 19, 2007

Flying ambitions overtook the skill level of a young bald eagle in Central Saanich yesterday.

The fledgling did more plummeting than soaring after leaving its nest in a cottonwood tree just off Wallace Drive. The panicked bird then flapped about wildly between cars, unable to re-launch itself.

Traffic in the 7100-block of Wallace Drive slowed to a crawl and a crowd started to gather as Central Saanich parks staff, who were working nearby, rushed into action to protect the young bird.

The eagle's day was about to get worse.

Jeff Krieger of Alternative Wildlife Services, who was called in to capture the bird, watched in dismay as the fledgling fell into a deep ditch filled with water.

"I had to jump into the culvert up to my neck to get it out. It looked as if it was drowning," he said.

The eagle was taken to the SPCA's Wild ARC to dry out and for a medical checkup. If it is fit, it will be released back into the area as soon as possible.

A huge nest has been in a tree in the area for years and two siblings were seen flying around without a problem, Krieger said.

© (c) CanWest MediaWorks Publications Inc.
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Re: Brentwood Bay Eagles, Central Saanich BC - 2017/2018 Season

Post by sassyk » Mon Feb 26, 2018 11:21 am

In 2006 when I started watching these eagles, they had a huge nest at the end of a stand of Cottonwood trees on Wallace Drive. That nest fell just before Christmas in 2012 and it didn't take the eagles long to build another nest at the other end of the stand of Cottonwoods.

Their first nest was in the taller tree on the left of the photo; their second nest was in the tree on the right of the photo.
Brentwood Bay Eagles Nests taken from the dead end road on the other side of the field.JPG

On 30 Jan. 2015 the eagles were perched in the tree where their first nest was.
Brentwood Bay Eagles Nest tree 1st nest 30 Jan, 2015.JPG

Photo of their second nest taken 20 Jan. 2013. A lack of suitable branches in this tree caused the top of the tree to break off and the nest to fall.
Brentwood Bay new nest 20 Jan. 2013.JPG
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Re: Brentwood Bay Eagles, Central Saanich BC - 2017/2018 Season

Post by sassyk » Mon Feb 26, 2018 11:22 am

Photo of the third nest the eagles built near the second nest tree on the left. Photo taken 28 Feb. 2014. This nest also fell.
Brentwood Bay Eagles nest 28 Feb. 2014.JPG

This is the third nest with the second nest tree on the right. Photo was taken from across the field on Stelly's Cross Road on 1 June 2014. One of the adults is sitting in the nest.
Brentwood Bay Eagles Nest 1 June 2014.JPG

This is the fourth nest the eagles built which is closer to the middle of the stand of Cottonwood trees. Photo taken 2 Apr. 2016 when the leaves were starting to come out.
Brentwood Bay Eagles nest 2 Apr. 2016.jpg
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Re: Brentwood Bay Eagles, Central Saanich BC - 2017/2018 Season

Post by sassyk » Mon Feb 26, 2018 12:07 pm

This is another nest behind the Vet Clinic near the entrance to Centennial Park. Photo was taken 29 Sep. 2015. The eagles successfully raised 2 eaglets to fledging in this nest.
Brentwood Bay Eagles Nest behind Vet Clinic 29 Sep. 2015.JPG

Adult in the Centennial Park nest with 2 eaglets. Photo taken 9 June 2016.
Brentwood Bay Eagles Alternate Nest 9 June 2016.JPG

Photo of an adult in the fourth nest on Wallace Drive, taken 11 May 2017 from Stelly's Cross Road. The eagles successfully fledged 3 eaglets from this nest in 2017.
Brentwood Bay Eagles 11 May 2017.jpg
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Re: Brentwood Bay Eagles, Central Saanich BC - 2017/2018 Season

Post by sassyk » Tue Mar 20, 2018 12:38 pm

I visited the Wallace Drive and Centennial Park nests yesterday. One adult was perched in
the Cottonwood tree on Wallace Drive, above where their original nest was. These photos
were taken from the side road behind the big field across the road from the nest tree.
IMG_1168 - Copy.JPG
IMG_1175 - Copy.JPG

This photo of their current nest was also taken from the side road. The other adult
was in the nest incubating, but is not visible from that vantage point.
IMG_1170 - Copy.JPG
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Re: Brentwood Bay Eagles, Central Saanich BC - 2017/2018 Season

Post by sassyk » Tue Mar 20, 2018 12:49 pm

These 2 photos of the Wallace Drive nest were taken from the other side of the nest
on Stellys X-Road. I believe this is the other adult in the tree at the other end of the
stand of Cottonwoods.
IMG_1181 - Copy.JPG

This photo shows the adult in the nest.
IMG_1187 - Copy.JPG

This is the nest near the entrance to Centennial Park. The owner of the property said
the eagles have been coming and going to the nest and are heard every morning in the
nest tree chatting to each other.
IMG_1178 - Copy.JPG
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Re: Brentwood Bay Eagles, Central Saanich BC - 2017/2018 Season

Post by sassyk » Thu May 31, 2018 10:49 am

I had been told many years ago by the owner of the nest property on Wallace Dr. that the eagles had an alternate nest, behind the vet clinic near Centennial Park. I have since heard from the regional WiTS co-ordinator that her contact at the Wallace Dr. nest has seen eagles and young in the nest the same year I have seen eagles and young in the nest behind the vet clinic. Although I and my birding friends have not seen young in both nests in the same year until yesterday, we now have proof that there are indeed young in both nests :woohoo:

While standing on the side street behind the big field across from the nest on Wallace Dr. where the eagles often hunt, 2 juveniles flew over and appeared to be playing and tumbling in the air together. Both adults were in the area, both chasing the juveniles away. Mom flew back to the nest while Dad landed in a tree at the end of the stand of Cottonwood trees. He kept squawking, probably to warn the juveniles to stay away.

The nest is very hard to view from Wallace Dr. and even though it is a long way away it is viewable from Stelly's X-Rd., which is the next street over. While standing on Stelly's X-Road both adults were perched in the tree at the end of the stand of Cottonwoods. 2 very dark coloured chicks were seen in the nest; one was flapping its wings :woohoo:

An adult was perched on a branch near the other nest behind the vet clinic. Although no eaglets were seen from the lane behind the vet clinic, one was seen from the path behind the nest property. A big wing flew up, then an eaglet got up, jumped and flapped to the other side of the nest. While watching again from the lane behind the vet clinic an adult flew in with food, dropped it in the nest then perched above while the eaglet fed itself. The 2nd adult was perched at the top of a nearby tree in the park.
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Re: Brentwood Bay Eagles, Central Saanich BC - 2017/2018 Season

Post by sassyk » Thu May 31, 2018 11:08 am

These photos were all taken from Stelly's X-Rd.
IMG_4367 - Copy.JPG
IMG_4375 - Copy.JPG
IMG_4377 - Copy.JPG
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Re: Brentwood Bay Eagles, Central Saanich BC - 2017/2018 Season

Post by sassyk » Thu May 31, 2018 1:34 pm

The adult perched beside the nest behind the vet clinic.
IMG_4398 - Copy.JPG

The 2nd adult perched in a nearby tree in Centennial Park.
IMG_4405 - Copy.JPG

The eaglet's huge wing, in front of the tree trunk.
IMG_4411 - Copy.JPG
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Re: Brentwood Bay Eagles, Central Saanich BC - 2017/2018 Season

Post by sassyk » Thu May 31, 2018 1:35 pm

All of these photos were taken from the lane behind the vet clinic.
IMG_4455 - Copy.JPG
IMG_4457 - Copy.JPG
IMG_4461 - Copy.JPG
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Re: Brentwood Bay Eagles, Central Saanich BC - 2017/2018 Season

Post by sassyk » Thu Jun 21, 2018 5:57 pm

I visited the Wallace Dr. and the Centennial Park nests yesterday. We observed the Wallace Dr. nest first from the side street on the far side of the big field across from the nest site. We could see 2 big eaglets in the nest as well as the male being chased by crows. He landed in a tree down the road and squawked at the crows. A short while later he flew to another tree near the nest tree but was out of sight.

Eaglet in middle of nest, eaglet on right of nest.
IMG_5327 - Copy.JPG

Both eaglets in middle of nest.
IMG_5330 - Copy.JPG

Male down the road squawking at the crows.
IMG_5333 - Copy.JPG
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Re: Brentwood Bay Eagles, Central Saanich BC - 2017/2018 Season

Post by sassyk » Thu Jun 21, 2018 6:01 pm

We then observed the nest from Stelly's X-Rd., the road behind the nest tree and could easily see the 2 eaglets sitting up in the nest.
IMG_5378 - Copy.JPG

One of the eagles was chased by a crow.
IMG_5393 - Copy.JPG

The adult landed in a snag on the next property, where it continued to be bombarded by the crows.
IMG_5352 - Copy.JPG
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Re: Brentwood Bay Eagles, Central Saanich BC - 2017/2018 Season

Post by sassyk » Thu Jun 21, 2018 8:32 pm

I visited the Centennial nest yesterday and found the lone eaglet up on the branch above the nest. It flapped its wings a few times then jumped down into the nest. We couldn't determine what the black thing in the nest is; it looks like a wing :dunno:
IMG_5413 - Copy.JPG
IMG_5420 - Copy.JPG
IMG_5428 - Copy.JPG
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Re: Brentwood Bay Eagles, Central Saanich BC - 2017/2018 Season

Post by sassyk » Thu Jun 21, 2018 8:37 pm

The eaglet landed in the nest safely.
IMG_5431 - Copy.JPG

The eaglet quickly went to the back of the nest where we could see only its head.
IMG_5440 - Copy.JPG

We observed the nest from the path going into the park from the road behind the nest tree to see if we could determine what the dark thing was but it wasn't visible from that vantage point. After a few wing flaps on the other side of the nest where we couldn't see it, the eaglet decided it was nap time.
IMG_5493 - Copy.JPG
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Re: Brentwood Bay Eagles, Central Saanich BC - 2017/2018 Season

Post by sassyk » Thu Jun 28, 2018 2:38 pm

Made a quick stop on Stellys X-Rd. on Wed. We could see both eaglets in the nest and both adults down the road squawking at some vultures flying overhead :roll:
Wallace Dr. Eaglets.JPG
Wallace Dr. Eagles1.JPG
Wallace Dr. Eagles2.JPG
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