By David Hancock:
Quick update on Bald Eagle nests in Surrey. This past year we had 43 active territories of which 21 we located on the White Rock Peninsula from the Nikomekl around Kwomais Point Park to the Peace Arch – quite a triumph and responsibility. I am always searching for more nests and they can be reported directly to me.
This past year we had some highs and lows. For the low we had more nests totally fail to produce any young. For the high In Surrey we had 4 nests that produced 3 young each. This must have been quite taxing on the parents. Our 35,000 to 50,000 wintering eagles from the Tundra and Tiaga of northern Canada are just starting to arrive: my survey of the Harrison River last Saturday turned up 2848 eagles – a good number to start the season. Probably 100 to 400 will be arriving daily through mid December. Most were up on the Chehalis alluvial fan but an additional 67 were being photographed along the Deroche Slues as I drove by.
Our Surrey Bald Eagle Reserve nest just off 0 Avenue @ 172nd again produced 2 young. This is the nest territory that was slated for total tree removal for a development. Between the developer, Dawson & Sawyer, the City of Surrey and the Fish & Wildlife Branch and our HWF Proposal to have set aside a few trees for a reserve and to build an artificial nest we have kept the pair breeding throughout the development. You can follow this pair by watching the live streaming web CAMS at: www.hancockwildlife.org – go to live Cams. You can also follow the daily adventures of our only gps tracked nesting bird, the male from the new Croydon Nest at the corner of 16th Ave. and H99. This bird also hatched 8 years ago from a Surrey Nest near Langley – was caught on the ground , rehabilitated by OWL, banded and released. I caught him below its new nest after, you will all remember the horrible cutting down of its nest at 20th Ave & Croydon Road a few years back.
Any nests in the Valley can be reported to me: 604 761-1025 or at davidhwf@gmail.com This is the season so many new nests emerge as the leaves fall.
Thanks,
David Hancock