I met a couple yesterday, who had observed dozens and dozens of bald eagles resting in trees beside the Island Highway, in the Miracle Beach area, just a couple of days ago.

The book, "The Eagles of Hornby Island", suggests that there is a mass late summer and fall migration north to the productive salmon rivers in Northern B.C. and Alaska, and then after feeding on salmon, they migrate back south, and congregate in large numbers at Brackendale, during December and January.

Would I be correct in thinking that these birds are taking a rest stop, en route between the north and Brackendale?

I guess I can answer my own question, now that I've just visited a local river. I saw a number of still-alive coho, as well as carcasses. I'd forgotten that the coho runs in this area can go well into winter.

Keep in mind too, that the numbers that congregate in Brackendale are only a fraction of the entire population on the west coast.

Apparently, 2011 has seen the second lowest total of Bald Eagles in the history of the count there.

Brackendale is a non-event. Harrison river has been the hot-spot for years.

http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Bald+e ... story.html

Non-event is absolutely right. For the last few times I went there (each time after the news reported there were hundreds), I saw almost no eagle from across that viewing dyke. Eagle capital of North America, my behind!

One can see more eagles up close when driving around waterfront Richmond/Delta.

Here is a link to the long term data from the Brackendale Bald Eagle Counts.

http://www.brackendaleartgallery.com/EagleCount.html

And a link to a story in the paper recently about numbers counted at Harrison.

http://www.timescolonist.com/Bald+eagle ... story.html

The sea-soil compost facility south of Port McNeil regularly hosts 1000+ Bald Eagles at tis time of year.

Brackendale is a non-event. Harrison river has been the hot-spot for years.

_______________

Wow I am impressed. Definitely have to visit my brother in Chilliwack . . . and the Fraser River Bald Eagle Festival next November.

One can see more eagles up close when driving around waterfront Richmond/Delta.[/quote]
______________

You guys up north are so lucky to be able to see (and photograph) our national bird more frequently than we do. Ironic.

______________


It's not difficult to see HUGE bald eagle's nests (with permanent residents, of course) on trees even within the urban area of Greater Vancouver. Some are just beside busy roads or in city parks. Periodically, their newborns are even monitored by webcams.

Eat your heart out!

_____________

Gulp! Gotta visit my brother in Chilliwack next November for the Fraser River Bald Eagle festival. I read somewhere else that Brackendale was pretty much a non-event last year.