Tanner, that's a fantastic close-up I walked the Dallas Rd. waterfront and Beacon Hill Park this afternoon but didn't see the eagles anywhere

These two look like they are on a space ship. Taken at Ogden Point on May 23-10
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good catch elle Isn't it a great spot for them to hang out Hopefully next season they will build a nest and have young ones to look after They started building a nest this season but stopped Maybe they needed some instructions

Tanner, Kay and Elle: Wow, some great photos here. Love the closeups.

Thank you

I've got some fresh ones that I must get around to uploading. I have been avoiding it as they are a tad underexposed so they are a bit frustrating for me to see

It's been a little while since I have posted on HWF!

I haven't seen the BHP eagles for weeks. Are the birds already beginning to go out to the salmon run? Isn't it a bit early for that? Bare with me, I'm still an eagle newbie...but am anxious to learn.

I have been wondering, where do eagles whom have an established nest with eaglets spend the nights when they go out to the salmon run each fall? For instance the Oak Bay birds, surely they don't fly out to Goldstream and back every day to return to their nests? Or do they? When the eagles have left for the salmon run, where can I spot them? Are they still in the Victoria area?

Hi Tanner,

The BHPark eagles started to build a nest this year and didn't finish; I think the female might still be too young and they were still in the courting stage this year We'll watch for them to come back in the fall and re-build. I will keep in touch with the 2 supervisors at the park and one of them will let me know when they see the eagles again. If you are in the park, go and have a look at the old Bandshell which is near the bridge over Goodacre Lake. They have been refurbishing it and have installed new information panels around the outside. There is a panel with some Cooper's Hawks chicks, an eagle, California Quail, and a Northern Flicker on it; the photo of the eagle is one of my photos. I was very honoured when they asked me if they could use it on the panel. Here is a photo of the panel.


Usually if the eagles don't have any young they will leave their nesting area sooner than those that have young. David Hancock thinks our eagles probably go north to Alaska to feed until the salmon spawning streams freeze and then they make their way south again, usually returning late Sept. or early Oct. They do some nest building on and off until they start mating, usually in Feb. The nest building process intensifies until the female lays eggs, usually in March. The adults usually hang around the nest site for a few weeks after the young ones have left the area and then they leave for the salmon spawning streams up north.

The salmon return to Goldstream Park sometime in Sept. or Oct. depending on what species of salmon are due to return, and our eagles will probably be feasting on the dead salmon at Goldstream Park through to Jan.

Eagles usually have roosting trees where they sleep at night when they don't have eaglets in the nest. These roosting trees are not necessarily in the area of the nest. When there are eggs and eaglets one parent is uaually in the nest incubating the eggs or brooding the chicks. The other adult is usually close by in the nest tree or a nearby tree where it sleeps at night.

On Hancock Wildlife Foundation's home page, you will find lots of information posted by David on eagle biology, eagle behaviour, egg laying, etc. Maybe next year you will be able to attend FledgeFest where you will meet David.

Wow, so much great info! Thanks Kay, and congratulations on having your picture included on the informational plaque. Pretty cool to know that you've made your own little mark on the city!

Your info made perfect sense and answered a few questions for me so thanks for taking the time to respond. I appreciate it very much. Wouldn't it be a cool to head up to Alaska in late summer and travel slowly southwards as the salmon run makes it's way down to our neck of the woods? Can't wait for it to hit Goldstream - I am recovering from surgery until November so I'll have plenty of time to head out and get some pictures to share here.