Welcome to the Sidney Eagles--Photos & Comments From Ground Observers thread. This thread is dedicated to photos and observations of the Sidney Eagles and their eaglets, taken by members who visit the area around the Sidney nests. This dedicated thread is where you will find write-ups and current photos of our beloved Ma & Pa Sidney and their offspring, in and around their nests near Pat Bay. Please refrain from chatting on this thread and keep all discussion focused on posted photos & videos of Ma & Pa Sidney.

Many of the local members visit the area on a regular basis and are happy to share their experiences and photos here on this thread for everyone to enjoy. Current photos & videos of the Sidney eagles and their eaglets, as well as comments and questions regarding these photos & videos, are welcome on this thread. Please continue to use the Sidney-Victoria Eagles+Other Wildlife thread for posting older and enhanced photos of the Sidney eagles and other wildlife in the Pat Bay area.

The Sidney-Victoria Eagles+Other Wildlife thread is where local members have previously posted their comments and photos of Ma & Pa Sidney and their eaglets, and it is exciting to now have this new thread dedicated to photos of our beloved Sidney eagles and their eaglets. After 2 years of Ma & Pa Sidney successfully raising 3 eaglets in their new nest, we are looking forward to another exciting season in 2010 and lots of new photos of the Sidney eagle family.

Here is a current pic of Ma & Pa Sidney that I took on February 5th, perched in one of their favourite trees at the south end of their nest property. I know that elle and Ian are planning to visit Ma and Pa today and I look forward to seeing some fantastic photos here later.

Oh Kay thank you so much for this thread! It's a great idea and I believe after reading your guidelines for here this should keep things clear if all material must be current and not from previous seasons. It will be awesome to be able to just know what's going on around the nest today, tomorrow, next week and nothing else.

I'm thrilled and have bookmarked it for many future visits.

SassyKay--what a good idea for a special place for these special photos and observations of the eagles. I know when you are on the ground I always want to hear about it. Last year it got crazy when Tiny was out of the nest--I felt like I had to sift through all kinds of other stuff to find what you folks were reporting. Hope it works well.

Kay - Very happy to see a thread we can visit and check reports and pics from ground crew. Certainly enhances the nest watching experience. Thank-you for all of your pics and reports. Love to see and read them.
Excellent idea.

Ian and I visited Ma and Pa today. It was a beautiful sunny warm afternoon and we got some pix and video which I will post here as soon as I can.
Ma and Pa are a very sweet and loving and happy couple. They were both squeaky clean after yesterday's rain. We will have an egg soon.

Click me:

MA AND PA SIDNEY ON VALENTINES DAY 2010

In this one you can hear Ma calling in the background.

VALENTINES DAY AT THE PAT BAY CLUBHOUSE

Terrific videos Elle!

I'm loving this thread already in a big, big way you guys

Elle--
Two really nice videos. It is really hard to photograph moving birds in the sky--and you did very well.

I liked how I could see the eagle's white tail with the sunlight coming through it. You had excellent control and good tracking.

I struggle to video the RTHs on my land--so I know how difficult it is--plus the bright sky makes it hard to see the details in the eagle--nicely done!

Birdsie: Ian does all the videos because he is so good at it. I don't know how he does itbut I am so glad he does. Hand held. No tripod.

Here is one picture of our wonderful Pa and that's it for tonight as I am exhausted.
Pic is clickable.

Great job, Ian!

This photo of Pa could be called "twinkle toes!" Thanks for all today.

I just got home from a family dinner and came here right away to check for elle and Ian's videos and photos. Well done both of you You could really see Pa's lighter coloured wing tips in the second video I hope you are going to post more pix elle Did you catch them mating

The idea of having a dedicated thread for our beloved Ma and Pa Sidney was first discussed a couple of years ago and I am very pleased that everyone appreciates it Now we can look forward to many, many more photos and videos of our Sidney eagle family.

Kay ... you are a genius .

I will post more pictures later. Having a bit of difficulty with my new photos management program and will probably change to something else as soon as possible.

Forgot to mention we saw a juvie eagle and 3 hawks soaring way up in the thermals as we were leaving and driving south on West Saanich Rd. They were too high to photograph or video, but couldn't help but wonder if it was our wee Tiny. It was the right age.

Thanks everyone.

elle: How exciting that you saw the juvie Wouldn't it be wonderful if it was our Tiny Hope you get your photo management program working soon; waiting patiently for more pix

Maria: Thanks; nice to see you here Hope you enjoy seeing many more photos of Ma & Pa and their eaglets on this thread

Let's try a couple more pix from yesterday.

These pix are all of Pa. Ma is in some kind of "prenatal" mood or state. She just wants Pa to be at her beck and call and he cheerfully and lovingly obliges. Luckily for us they are spending a lot of time in the nest . Never before have we seen them spend so much time nest building and never before have we seen Pa delivering so many treats for Ma in the nest, too, as a sure sign it is Spring and mating season. Perhaps an egg has already been fertilised and we will see an egg laid within a week. I think this is entirely possible. We shall see soon enough.

Hope this works and is clickable

Good for you elle Great pix of Pa, but ominous looking clouds I'm hoping for a decent day this week to get out to the nests now that I'm almost over this miserable cold

i really love this thread, thank you Kay. i was wondering a few days ago if Harry or you or Elle were making a place for all your photos, glad to see this! loved the videos Elle, and pictures too, just wonderful to watch. thank you so much. i know what you're going through with the "libraries" thing in Windows 7, i have 7 on my laptop and hate that part, i only save all my pics & photos in the my pictures folder, too many places like you said

I went to visit Ma and Pa today and it was another day of following them back and forth from one spot to another. The first 2 times I drove around the area they were nowhere in sight. I was in luck the 3rd time heading back to Pat Bay; Ma was perched in the beach tree along the Pat Bay beach trail. I managed to get 3 pix of her in the tree before she flew off behind the tree and then off over Pat Bay towards the nest site. Here are the first 3 pix, taken between 12:25 and 12:26 pm. Click them bigger.

Here are 3 more pix of Ma flying from the beach tree, over Pat Bay and towards the nest site. She flew right over me and I had a hard time trying to keep my balance on the rocky beach. Click them bigger.

Hi Kay: Enjoyed your photos. That's a good snag for the eagles. -- Ed

Oh Elle great report and added pics! I’m sooo excited about the eggs being so close. You sure could be right the way Ma has been eating and all the deliveries Pa has made. It’s good for him, keeps him in shape

Kay I hope you do get out too! We can’t have too many nest visits that’s for sure

Wow ask and ye shall receive! Weee awesome shots Kay! I love that wind-blown look. Great in-flight shots too that’s hard when you can’t get solid footing. How lucky she went right over you too.

Great job you guys, keep up the terrific work!

Great videos and pictures ,Ian ,Elle and Kay.

Nothing like seeing them up clsoe and personal eh!!!