Welcome to the Saxe Point Park Eagles thread. This thread is intended for observations, photos and discussion of the Saxe Point Park eagles. This nest is located in Saxe Point Park, which is within the Municipality of Esquimalt. Please feel welcome to post your photos and observations of the Saxe Point Park eagles when you visit their nest area. The Saxe Point Park eagles also spend time at the other end of Munro Street at Fleming Beach/Buxton Green and Macaulay Point. I have been monitoring this nest for a few years and have previously posted reports and photos on the Sidney-Victoria Eagles+Other Wildlife Photos thread here: Sidney-Victoria Eagles+Wildlife Photos prior to setting up a dedicated thread here: Esquimalt Eagles In 2008 this pair successfully fledged 1 eaglet, following a few years of not producing any chicks. They did not produce any chicks in 2009 but I am hoping they will be successful this season.

Here is a photo of the nest taken from the end of the side street across the bay from the nest, taken Aug. 19, 2007.


Here is a photo of the lone eaglet in the nest wingersizing, taken June 30, 2008.


Here is a photo of the Saxe Pt. Park eagles, perched at the top of their nest tree, taken June Jan. 1, 2009

Here is an article that was in the Victoria News weekly paper about the Saxe Pt. Park nest.

vicnews.com
part of BClocalnews.com

Sunday, 6/15/2008 2:28 pm
Victoria News > News > Urban eagles

Urban eagles
June 12, 2008

It’s not uncommon for eagles to go for years without producing any young; such is the case for eagle pairs in Victoria and Esquimalt.

While Victoria and Esquimalt have a single bald eagle nest each, neither mating pair that inhabit the nests have successfully reproduced since 2004.

There are many reasons why the birds, who share a nest with their life-long mate, wouldn’t have any eggs hatch. They might be too old or under nourished. Or there may be some human-made factor, such as pesticides damaging their eggs or nest disturbances.

Gwen Greenwood, volunteer coordinator for the Wildlife Trees Stewardship Program, said somebody would have to monitoring the nests quite closely to know the exact reason they haven’t been productive, and they’d rather not disturb the birds.

It’s not uncommon for eagles to go years without successful young, even when the eggs do hatch. Only 10 per cent of eaglets live past their first year.

There are plenty of eagles with babies in other municipalities, as the young chirp from three nests in Oak Bay and five in Saanich.

Greenwood said a lack of appropriate nesting trees is the reason the birds aren’t more common in Victoria and Esquimalt.

The current nests are in Beacon Hill Park and Saxe Point Park. Eagles are very territorial of their large hunting range, which stops several birds from building their 2,000 pound nests in the same area.

The birds are opportunistic carnivores, they eat fish and rodents, including rabbits and rats. They’ll also eat smaller birds, such as seagulls. Last summer the Beacon Hill Park eagles caused a stir when they attacked blue heron nests. Otherwise, they don’t cause much problem.

“They adapt pretty well to an urban setting,” explained Greenwood, who has been researching eagles in southern B.C. for eight years on behalf of the organization that helps protect eagle habitat.

When there isn’t enough hunting or nesting room for the birds or when human activity causes them to move, they will often fight over areas, sometimes to the death.

Wild ARC, a rehabilitation centre for wild animals run by the SPCA, aids injured eagles. In addition to helping birds that were injured fighting, the centre rescues eagles that have flown into buildings or towers, as well as young birds that fall from trees.

editor@vicnews.com

Hi Saxe Point eagle lovers

I was at Saxe Point last night and found MA & PA at home.

Cheers, Karen

Karen: Glad you saw both Saxe Pt. eagles. I'll be heading over to the park tomorrow morning and I hope I'll see them.

Hi Kay

I would meet you there but my husband's choir are coming for lunch after their practice. Here are a couple more from Saxe Point last evening just before dark.

Cheers, Karen

I went to Saxe Pt. Park this morning and saw Mom perched on a branch beside her nest. I didn't see Dad anywhere I took some pix from the end of the side street first, then from the rock bluff in the park. As I was walking down the path to the rocks beside the beach, Mom flew off. I didn't see where she went but did see a large bird on Brothers Island a short distance away. I don't know if it was an eagle; it was so far away

These first 2 pix were taken from the end of the side street across the beach from the nest tree. The 3rd pic was taken from the rock bluff beside the beach.

Here is another pic of Mom taken from the rock bluff above the beach. She looked away just as I snapped it.


This pic was taken from the lookout at the end of the park. There is a large bird perched on Brothers Island but I can't tell if it is an eagle or a heron.


This 3rd pic is a cropped version of the above pic.

Great pictures Kay - I was there this morning but no one was home I did not take my camera because it was pouring with rain.

Cheers, Karen