Surrey Reserve Nest Information
There have been eagles in this territory for at least 20 years – but these cams show a new nest set up just this fall to replace one that blew down, so we will learn together if the eagles accept it, and, if so, how they go about making it their own. As of late November 2018, we have seen them bringing sticks to the nest, so we are hopeful they will nest here. Because we haven’t watched this pair before, we didn’t know when they might lay eggs – and now we do! Their first egg was laid March 7, and the second one was laid March 10. It generally takes at least 35 days for eagle eggs to hatch, so we’ll start watching for that on April 11th.
Updates
SR1, the first chick at this new nest, hatched at 3:13 am on April 14, 2019 (38 days after it was laid) and SR2 hatched about a day and a half later, at 12:56 pm on April 15 (36 days after it was laid).
The chicks have been named Dee (pronounced like the initial D) and Ess (pronounced like the initial S) in honor of Dawson & Sawyer, the developers who helped make the Surrey Eagle Reserve and this nest possible (more info about the Reserve further down on the page).
Dee fledged (took his/her first flight away from the nest tree) on July 5th when she was 82 days old; Ess waited three more days, fledging on July 8, when she was 84 days (or 12 weeks) old. (Based on their size, we suspect both eaglets are female.) Both eaglets spent a couple of weeks flying in and out of the nest, and as of July 25th, both are off exploring the world. Fare well, young eagles – we wish you long lives and lots of fish!
Surrey Reserve North/Closeup
Surrey Reserve South/Wide Angle
Nest History
There have been eagles nesting in this rapidly developing part of Surrey for at least 20 years, and cam sponsors Dawson & Sawyer were the second developers who approached David Hancock for advice on how to develop a region that contained an active bald eagle nest. There were some challenges – the original nest fell down, the eagles moved, a new nest with cameras was provided (full story here) – and now we are waiting to see if the eagles adopt the new nest built for them in British Columbia’s first bald eagle reserve. (A bald eagle reserve is a section of forest large enough to support an eagle nest which is set aside by a developer who is clearing land adjacent to it.)
Please join us on the Surrey Reserve Discussion Forum and share your observations, click below.
Thanks to Dawson & Sawyer for developing the
first British Columbia Bald Eagle Nest Reserve
and installing… (more)
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Nest Adoption
2020 Nesting Season – September 2019 – August 2020
This Nest has been Adopted By:
~ gemini ~
~ JudyB ~
~ Parkland Burnaby Refinery ~
~ Barb Fitzsimmons and Robert Meyer ~
Thanks to Dawson & Sawyer for developing the first British Columbia Bald Eagle Nest Reserve, installing the nest frame and the two CAMS. This whole project first required considerable faith that the Hancock Wildlife Foundation history of developing successful Mitigation Plans could again be effective. The British Columbia Ministry of Forestry, Lands and Natural Resources had to work within the BC Wildlife Act and with the City of Surrey and Dawson & Sawyer on the basis of developing a practical plan to benefit bald eagles. Will it work this season or will the development in the region cause a pause holding off the eagles from using the artificial nest for a year or two? See the background of the nest for the full story.
Nest Location
Note, the map is for reference only; the exact location is not public to avoid any potential disruptions in the lives of the eagles and those living near them. Thanks!
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