Bald Eagles At Deep Bay On Vancouver Island

Morning walks are the ritual for my sister-in-law, Claire, and her husband, Martin, and from their home in Bowser, British Columbia, on Vancouver Island, they have a variety of options open to them, but no matter which direction they choose to go, they almost always spot one or two Bald Eagles in the treetops.

When we visited in early January, it was easy to fall into their routine that required exercising their dogs each morning and again in the afternoon.  On one such morning, it was suggested that we walk a short distance to the shore of the Salish Sea where it lies between Denman Island and Vancouver Island.  It took us all of five minutes to get there.

As we strolled along the beach, flocks of ducks bobbed on the smooth water, and a few harp seals could be seen fishing just offshore.  It had been a frosty night, and evidence of that was visible on the backside of the peninsula behind which Deep Bay is located.  Thin ice covered the sheltered water of the marina.

Amongst the collection of waterfowl enjoying the peaceful morning were numerous Common Goldeneye Ducks.  

As our small group circled back along Deep Bay Drive, the dogs running rambunctiously ahead of us, we spotted a pair of Bald Eagles perched in the top of a tree, eyes turned towards the sea.

The pair, probably a male and its mate, had a regal countenance as they passed the time in quiet observation of their surroundings.  Bald Eagles mate for life, and the average lifespan of a Bald Eagle in the wild is about 20 years.  

Bob and I were pleased to have a good vantage point of the handsome pair, and his sister, Claire, took delight in the fact that her guests had a chance to see some of the local Eagles. 

A Bald Eagle is a huge bird with a wingspan between 1.8 and 2.3 metres (5.9 and 7.5 feet).  Their body length can be almost 102 centimetres (40 inches), and they can weigh close to 6 kilograms (14 pounds).  It is the female Eagle that is the largest of the two.

It was quite remarkable to me, as we walked the different trails around Deep Bay, that you could always identify which evergreen trees that the Eagles regularly roost in because the tops of the trees are perpetually in a bent position.  

Casting one last backward glance at the Bald Eagles, we acknowledged that it had been a good way to start the day.

Frame To Frame – Bob and Jean