Oak Bay Eagles, Oak Bay BC - 2017/2018 Season

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sassyk
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Oak Bay Eagles, Oak Bay BC - 2017/2018 Season

Post by sassyk » Thu Feb 22, 2018 12:14 pm

Welcome to the Oak Bay Eagles thread for the 2017/2018 season. There are 4 nests currently being monitored by locals within the Municipality of Oak Bay.

The Fire Hall eagles have a nest in a tree behind the Oak Bay Fire Hall on Monterey Avenue which they have used for many years, producing many offspring in that nest. The eagles have also used an old nest which is a short distance away on a private property at the end of York Place and have produced many offspring in that nest. It is always a guess as to which nest they will use for the current season.

The Golf Course eagles have had 3 nests in a tree in front of the club house on the Victoria Golf Course on Beach Drive and have produced many offspring in all 3 nests.

The Anderson Hill eagles have had 2 nests which they have used in recent years; one is in a tree on private property near Anderson Hill Park and their second nest is also on private property on a private road near Anderson Hill Park.

The Uplands eagles have a nest in a Cottonwood tree on private property near the intersection of Beach Drive and Lansdowne Road. The nest has been there for many years but the eagles seemed to prefer an alternate nest on a private property in the Ten Mile Point area for many years. Their alternate nest fell down prior to last years nesting season and the eagles decided to move back to the Uplands nest and successfully raised two eaglets to fledging.

Please feel welcome to post your observations and photos of the eagles that inhabit these nests if you visit their nest area. Please be respectful of the owners and neighbours when visiting nests on private property.

Information, observations and photos from previous seasons can be found on the old forum by clicking these links:

2016/2017 Season
2015/2016 Season
2014/2015 Season
2013/2014 Season
2012/2013 Season
2010-2012 Seasons

Observations and photos of the eagles at these 4 nests during the first part of this season from early September until the present time can be viewed on the old forum here
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Re: Oak Bay Eagles ~ 2017/2018 Season

Post by sassyk » Thu Feb 22, 2018 12:14 pm

A few photos of the nest trees used by the Fire Hall eagles.

The Oak Bay Fire Hall with the nest tree behind.
1189882213_dKeNC-M.jpg

The second nest tree on Prospect Place which is the next road over from York Place.
Photo was taken in February 2014.
Fire Hall Eagles nest on York Place taken from Prospect Place..JPG

I did an interview with Ryan Flaherty, a reporter with the Oak Bay News.

The Eagles Have Landed

A male bald eagle brings back some fish to feed his mate and their two eaglets in a nest in Oak Bay.
Photo by Kay Steer
IMG_9291.JPG
By Ryan Flaherty - Oak Bay News
Published: June 28, 2011 11:00 AM

Bald eagles have long been one of the most recognizable birds in North America.
Their iconic white heads have graced everything from flags to stamps to sports and business logos, and they are perhaps most famously known as an official symbol of the United States.
Oak Bay, with its abundance of shoreline, provides ideal habitat for the big predators. Observers have had their eagle eyes trained on a trio of local nests for several years now.
The nests, located behind the fire hall on Monterey Avenue, on the grounds of the Victoria Golf Club and in Anderson Hill Park, have attracted a loyal following.
“I was never a birder until I found the eagles,” said Kay Steer, who lives in Saanich, but frequently comes to Oak Bay to check on her feathered friends.
She visits a number of eagle nests throughout the Capital Region, but the accessibility of the ones in Oak Bay makes them prime photo subjects. “They’re just so beautiful with their white heads.”
According to mainland-based wildlife biologist David Hancock , bald eagles generally mate for life and their tendency to return to the same nest, year after year, creates a bond between the birds and those who watch them.
“In a sense, what we’ve developed is kind of a guardian of wildlife,” he said. “Some of them know every movement of every bird.”
Hancock’s eponymous Wildlife Foundation is involved in a number of conservation initiatives, but it’s perhaps best known for installing web cams in several eagle nests on Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland.
Currently none of the Oak Bay nests are video monitored, but Hancock said if he can secure the help of a sponsor, that could change.
At the Victoria Golf Club, duffers seeking out eagles of the two-under-par variety may have better luck spotting the real thing. The birds at the club have been nesting there for at least a decade, according to club employees, and have become quite popular with the golfers.
“Our members look for them every spring,” said general manager Scott Kolb. “They just add another unique feature to our golf club.”
He reminds members of the public who want to watch the birds to do so from outside the course boundaries, to avoid being injured by errant golf balls or other hazards around the property.
The easiest of the three nests to get up close and personal with is the one behind the Oak Bay fire hall.
The eagles there suffered some kind of trauma – likely the theft of their eggs by a marauding raven or raccoon – and temporarily abandoned the nest last year. This spring they returned and what’s more, they’ve added a pair of eaglets to the family.
“It’s quite exciting to see the chicks growing up and popping up above the nest,” said Oak Bay Fire Chief Gerry Adam. “You hear them squawking and chirping all the time.”
It’s a rare day that someone isn’t spotted outside the hall with a pair of binoculars or a camera, he added.
The third nest, next to an Island Road house, is not quite as accessible as the other two.
However, the eagles that live there have a favourite perching tree at the south end of Anderson Hill Park which is much more visible.
The male is also often spotted sitting on a marker on Trial Island.
For Steer, the eagles have almost become extended family members.
“You get to know them so well when you’re watching them,” she said.
Steer and her fellow eagle-watchers – of which there are dozens – share photos and document the birds’ movements on the Hancock Wildlife Foundation website, which has forums dedicated to many different animals. Visit www.hancockwildlife.org to learn more about local eagles and other projects.

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Re: Oak Bay Eagles ~ 2017/2018 Season

Post by sassyk » Thu Feb 22, 2018 12:14 pm

A few photos of the nest tree at the Victoria Golf Course.

The nest tree showing all 3 nests that have been used over the years.
This photo shows that it is only one single tree!
Golf Course Eagle Tree 4 Oct. 2016.JPG

Both adult eagles in the lower nest, taken Oct. 24, 2017.
IMG_8235 - Copy.JPG

The nest tree, taken from the top of Anderson Hill Jan. 9, 2016.
Golf Course Eagle Tree 9 Jan. 2016.JPG
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Re: Oak Bay Eagles ~ 2017/2018 Season

Post by sassyk » Thu Feb 22, 2018 12:15 pm

Photos of the nests the Anderson Hill eagles have used over the years.

The newer nest they have used in recent years; photo taken in June 2012.
Anderson Hill Eagle Nest June 2012.JPG

The older nest they were using when I first started watching these eagles;
photo taken in May 2015.
Anderson Hill Old Eagle Nest May 30 , 2015.JPG

The adults perched together on their favourite post on Trial Island;
photo taken in January 2014.
Anderson Hill Eagles on post @ Trial Island Jan. 5, 2014.JPG
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Re: Oak Bay Eagles ~ 2017/2018 Season

Post by sassyk » Thu Feb 22, 2018 12:15 pm

This is the female eagle from the Anderson Hill nest. She has a band on her left leg.
This photo was taken in March 2015.
Anderson Hill Banded Adult Mar. 3, 2015.JPG


Photos of the Lansdowne Road nest in the Uplands area of Oak Bay.

This nest is in a Cottonwood tree and is not easy to view once the tree has leaves.
Photo taken in Jan. 2017.
Lansdowne Eagle Nest Jan. 20, 2017.jpg

Photo of the nest tree taken in June 2017.
Lansdowne Eagle Nest Tree June 20, 2017.JPG
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If you find a new nest, please contact me so it can be added to the WiTS mapping program.

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Re: Oak Bay Eagles, Oak Bay BC - 2017/2018 Season

Post by elle » Tue Feb 27, 2018 11:15 am

Victoria Golf Course Bald Eagle Oct 23-2017.jpg
Golf Course offshore Oct 23-2017
I have visited all the Oak Bay nests regularly over the past few months but have not taken many pictures. In fact, there have been few sightings of these eagles so far this season.
There is almost always an eagle on the post on Trial Island and often another on the ground on that island. These are presumably the Anderson Hill pair.
The Golf Course pair have been seen together in the perch tree across Beach Drive from the nest as well as singly in a favourite perch by the water's edge and in a tree close to the flag pole.
The Fire Hall pair have been seen singly in trees on Glen Lyon-Norfolk school property as well as on islands off shore from the Oak Bay Marina.
I have not seen the Uplands nest pair at all .
The new nest Ian and I discovered last year between Anderson Hill and Gonzales Hill where one eaglet was successfully raised has shown no evidence of activity yet.
The paltry nest just started on the east side of St Patrick between Beach Drive and Central has not been built up either.
There has been very little activity observed compared to previous years. We should be seeing nesting activity soon as eggs are due to be laid at the beginning of March.
Oak Bay eagle on favourite perch Sept 22-2017.jpg
Golf Course on favourite perch Sept 22-2017
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Re: Oak Bay Eagles, Oak Bay BC - 2017/2018 Season

Post by elle » Tue Feb 27, 2018 11:26 am

Here is a news article from this morning's Time Colonist about the development on York Place through to Prospect Place where the Fire Hall eagle pair have a second nest.

York Place Development

In addition to this development, there is another one forthcoming at the end of the York Place cul de sac as the subdivision request for a single home has been approved. This newly subdivided portion will now contain the nest tree.
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Re: Oak Bay Eagles, Oak Bay BC - 2017/2018 Season

Post by sassyk » Wed Feb 28, 2018 9:09 am

elle thanks for posting the link to the article. It will be interesting to see what transpires on that property.

I certainly hope construction doesn't start at the end of York Pl. during nesting season :angry: Maybe the eagles will decide to use the Fire Hall nest :luck:
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Re: Oak Bay Eagles, Oak Bay BC - 2017/2018 Season

Post by sassyk » Wed Feb 28, 2018 5:11 pm

elle wrote:
Tue Feb 27, 2018 11:15 am
The new nest Ian and I discovered last year between Anderson Hill and Gonzales Hill where one eaglet was successfully raised has shown no evidence of activity yet.
I posted here on the old forum about a pair of eagles I photographed near Gonzales Hill on March 9, 2016. Perhaps this is the same pair who built the new nest last year.
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Re: Oak Bay Eagles, Oak Bay BC - 2017/2018 Season

Post by elle » Thu Mar 01, 2018 8:47 am

sassyk wrote:
Wed Feb 28, 2018 5:11 pm
I posted here on the old forum about a pair of eagles I photographed near Gonzales Hill on March 9, 2016. Perhaps this is the same pair who built the new nest last year.
__________

Could be. It is a difficult nest to see and photograph. I will check tomorrow.
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Re: Oak Bay Eagles, Oak Bay BC - 2017/2018 Season

Post by elle » Sat Mar 03, 2018 11:53 am

sassyk wrote:
Wed Feb 28, 2018 5:11 pm
I posted here on the old forum about a pair of eagles I photographed near Gonzales Hill on March 9, 2016. Perhaps this is the same pair who built the new nest last year.
_________
There was a lot of poop around the bottom of the nest yesterday but no adults were seen there or at any of the other Oak Bay nests ! A couple of juveniles did fly by Gonzales Hill though and there were 2 adults perched separately on Hollywood Crescent overlooking Gonzales Bay.
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Re: Oak Bay Eagles, Oak Bay BC - 2017/2018 Season

Post by elle » Thu Mar 08, 2018 4:51 pm

Gonzales Bay Bald eagle March 1-2018.jpg
Here is a picture of one of the 2 Bald eagles I saw a week ago on Hollywood Crescent overlooking Gonzales Bay
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Re: Oak Bay Eagles, Oak Bay BC - 2017/2018 Season

Post by elle » Thu Mar 08, 2018 4:58 pm

Did an Oak Bay tour today. It is eerily quiet at the known nests.
Here are some pictures of the property between York Place and Prospect Place which has been purchased by Mike Miller of Abstract Developments

York Place clearcut March 8-2018.jpg
York Place cleared property
York Place through to Prospect Place March 8-2018.jpg
York Place through to Prospect Place
.
York Place development proposal March 8-2018.jpg
York Place Development proposal
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Re: Oak Bay Eagles, Oak Bay BC - 2017/2018 Season

Post by elle » Thu Mar 08, 2018 5:09 pm

From the Prospect Place side
Prospect Place development sign March 8-2018.jpg
Prospect Place Development proposal sign
York Place nest close up from Prospect Place March 8-2018.jpg
Close up of York Place nest
York Place nest March 8-2018.jpg
York Place nest from afar
And on the Prospect Place side
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Re: Oak Bay Eagles, Oak Bay BC - 2017/2018 Season

Post by elle » Thu Mar 08, 2018 5:36 pm

Here is one of the deer that will be displaced by this development. Deer and other wildlife, including our Oak Bay Fire Hall / York Place Bald Eagle pair, have enjoyed sanctuary on this huge vacant lot for many years. More loss of habitat for urban wildlife. Deer, birds, raccoons, squirrels. This doe is tagged as part of an Oak Bay contraceptive immunization program study.
Oak Bay tagged doe Number 44 March 8-2018.jpg
Doe at Prospect Place
More info on that

Urban Deer Pilot Contraception Program

And last but certainly not least here is a Letter to the Editor written by a property owner directly adjacent to the proposed development

Re: “Wall of opposition arises in Oak Bay,” Feb. 27.

Help!
As a Prospect Place resident, I support the community effort protesting Mike Miller’s (Abstract Developments) plans to breach the 120-year-old rock wall on Prospect Place.

Also, Miller has included a six-car garage under his proposed new personal residence at 1561 York Place in Oak Bay. To provide access to this garage, he will be blasting through solid rock, creating a canyon six metres wide, 26 metres long and ranging from 1.5 metres to 3.3 metres feet deep.

This canyon will be blasted, in large part, less than three metres from my 1925 home and garage. I am deeply concerned that Miller’s extensive blasting will damage my home.

There is no need for Miller to blast this canyon, since there is an existing entrance to the property from York Place, which would give him immediate access to the proposed underground garage.

Ben Shapiro

Oak Bay

As seen from the pictures I posted today, the Bald Eagle nest is in close proximity to the proposed blasting and construction of this subdivision proposed by Mike Miller of Abstract Developments and even closer to 2 other single family approved subdivisions : one at the North end of the cul de sac on York Place and and one at the east side of the Prospect Place proposal .
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