Squamish Eagle Watch

We’ve caught wind of the incredibly sad story from the shores of the Cheakamus River in Squamish/Brackendale last week where an adult Bald Eagle was found dead in the river, tangled in fishing line, by our friends at the Squamish Rafting Company. This could have been a preventable situation, but will now serve as a reminder for us all to work harder to leave no trace in shared wild spaces. The area where this Eagle was found entangled was only a short distance away from our ...survey area at the Eagle Run Dyke alongside the Squamish River. The Eagles in this region of the watershed frequently spend their days flying back and forth to various rivers and tributaries to look for salmon to eat. We can’t help to wonder if this may have been an Eagle that we have counted during our Eagle monitoring program this year. The presence of this Eagle is significant for our data but obviously even more important to the ecosystem. We’re saddened to learn about the fate of this Eagle as hundreds of Bald Eagles come to the Squamish Valley for winter sanctuary, not to die. Especially in way such as this. A lot can be said about this event, but we just want to plainly encourage you to please do your part to leave no trace, in order to minimize your impact on the great outdoors. Whether you’re out for a fish, hike, bike, paddle, ski, board, run or walk. Pack in what you pack out, plan ahead, stay on marked trails and leave no trace. Full story from The Squamish Chief with input from the Squamish Rafting Company and OWL Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society here: https://www.squamishchief.com//dead-eagle-found-tangled-in

While conducting our EagleWatch surveys we record and differentiate between adult Eagles (right) and juvenile Eagles (left). The difference is evident in their plumage as adults have moulted into their classic white heads and tails, while juveniles remain mostly dark brown. Attaining their adult plumage can take up to five years! Unfortunately though, up to 70% of juvenile raptors don’t reach adulthood. Survival in the wild is difficult for raptors with increasing habitat los...s and destruction, prey availability, intentional or illegal killings, intentional or secondary poisoning, human-made obstacles and tough migratory challenges. We love seeing the juvenile Eagles thrive during their time in the Squamish Valley and we’re happy to be contributing to a data collection informing us of their presence and abundance with every passing year! : Jill Bingham Daniels @jillbinghamdanielsphotography

Eagles will always be the stars on top of our trees! Happy Holidays from the EagleWatch flock!

EagleWatch and 2021 Annual Brackendale Winter Eagle Count Update! Only two weeks remain in the 2020-2021 EagleWatch season! We’re sad to see the season coming to a close in the new year, but we’re also extremely excited as January brings with it the 35th Annual Brackendale Winter Eagle Count! And some good news! This years count is not cancelled - just modified! The 2021 Brackendale Winter Eagle Count will take place on Sunday January 3 2021. Due to the pandemic, we are... limiting volunteers this year to those who have participated in the past, and who can do the count individually or in small groups within their own social bubble. In addition, EagleWatch will not have any sort of gathering presence at the Brackendale Art Gallery or at the Eagle Run Shelter on the dyke like in years past. On the day of the count we will post up to date information about the days events on our social media pages and will relay final count totals to local news sources. Please be assured that COVID-19 rules and regulations will be followed in order to safely and successfully allow for the continuation of monitoring the annual overwintering presence of Bald Eagles in the Squamish Valley. For more information visit: https://www.squamishenvironment.ca/update-on-the-35th-brac/ : @tristan.rayner

Fish comprise the majority of the diet of Bald Eagles, but these large birds are also opportunistic and enjoy eating a variety of different foods depending on what’s available to them regionally and seasonally. Bald Eagles will feast on other birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and even invertebrates - such as crabs! They’re not picky either and will consume their prey dead or alive! Eagles like this stunning juvenile are frequently seen scavenging or fishing for salmon on the sand bars and exposed river beds across from the dyke! This time of year especially, deceased spawned out salmon are on the menu! Who wouldn’t want an easy grab and go nutrient-rich meal?! : Heather Warren @chasingmountainsphotography

Here’s an interesting season update! Yesterday morning we had our second highest count of the season with a total of 41 Eagles! 33 adults and 8 juveniles were observed along the dyke by volunteers Rae and Ursula. Our highest total so far this season was a total of 44 Eagles two weeks ago. Over the span of the last few weeks we have been hovering around an average of 15-25 Eagles a day. So far we are having a better season in regards to Eagles being around and counted from the dyke than last season. Last November 30th we spotted only 14 Eagles and last season we didn’t have a single total over 30 Eagles during our weekend counts. It’s both interesting and important to compare the monitoring data over the years! Our daily count totals can be viewed at: https://www.squamishenvironment.ca/eaglewatch-daily-count-/ : Jason Bremner 2017

Bald is beautiful! : Jill Bingham Daniels 2018 @jillbinghamdanielsphotography

Having a bath can be one of the more relaxing things we enjoy in life even for Bald Eagles! More so essential than relaxing, bathing is important to birds as it aids in feather maintenance. Feathers are a birds lifeline as they waterproof, insulate and allow them to fly, so keeping them squeaky clean is a priority! Being able to see this Eagle bathe was a great indication that we were practicing good ethical bird viewing! When heading out to the dyke remember to bring binoculars, a scope, or a long lens for your camera to view or photograph the Eagles from a distance. Disturbing the Eagles natural behaviour can be stressful to them and even detrimental to their health when resources are scarce. Be respectful of the Eagles space and habitat and you will be rewarded!

It takes about 5 years for Bald Eagles to attain their adult plumage! Need help identifying eagles as they age? Check out this chart from MARS Wildlife Rescue Centre!

Our experienced EagleWatch volunteers have been busy as we’ve been counting Eagles two times daily for just over a week now! Yesterday mornings count by volunteers Rae and Ursula totalled 16 adults and 2 juvenile Bald Eagles. Our highest count so far this season was from volunteer Kevin D'Souza last Sunday, when 38 adults and 6 juveniles were spotted on our monitoring route alongside the Squamish River! Keep up the great work EagleWatchers! : Volunteer Rae Simpson captured these images during yesterday mornings count. Often, we’ll see seals come up into the river from the ocean as they follow the salmon for food. Although they’re an easy visual indicator for salmon presence, we hope that they’ll leave a few for our Eagle friends!