Brackendale Eagles

Speaking of the Cheakamus River, I went to see the eagles in Brackendale today. There wasn’t many on the dyke but there were quite a few further up the river towards the hatchery. Eagles are pretty private. As soon as you walk close they tend to fly away.

They refer to Brackendale and the Winter home of the Bald Eagle. It’s just outside of Squamish. The eagles come to feed on the spawning salmon in winter. December 15 to January 15 is the peak of the season. Mind you Harrison River in November is getting lots of eagles as well. I saw way more salmon there and more eagles too. I think the hatchery at Harrison Mills has been there longer and sure is efective at replenishing the chum stock.

In fact I didn’t see any salmon today. There were quite a few carcasses outside the hatchery on Tenderfoot Creek but they were picked pretty clean. I guess November is the peak spawning season for Chum. I read somewhere the eagles like the salmon after they’ve been rotting a while. Doesn’t sound very appetizing but I suppose it’s softer then.

It’s hard to catch them in flight with my camera but I did get a couple of shots. I know the caretaker at Paradise Valley outdoor school and he let me walk on the property to take pictures of the eagles. Actually he knows my father. He used to take me there when I was young but that was in the summer. I didn’t clue in to the eagles until I was older.

Near the river is the best place to see them. Where the salmon are is where you’ll see the eagles. It’s really impressive. Walking through the forest along the river with all those eagles everywhere really feels like you’re walking on holy ground.