In this first week of June 2025, Peter Ward would like to draw Members attention to:

1. Tree Swallows. Having been around their nest boxes since April, the swallows are in high gear this week, and will be here up to late June/early July. The adult swallows have recently hatched families, which may number up to 6 young, and are busy catching thousands of insects per day. Both parents feed the young. They have less than 3 weeks to develop, strengthen their wing muscles, and start becoming independent. Listen for the short crisp call of the adults as they fly overhead. 

At McCleery (public) Golf Course, about 17 boxes have families of young swallows, recently hatched, and the adults are supplying aerial insects caught over the fairways, and over the ponds. Sit on the terrace, enjoy your coffee and watch the swallows during the next 2-3 weeks. Parking is free. Nature Vancouver volunteers have been building, installing and looking after the boxes since 2012.

At Iona Beach Regional Park there are currently 23 boxes with familiies. Birds Studies Canada, with Environment Canada Wildlife Research Division, is engaging in a research tracking project, with many swallows carrying Motus tags, so that BSC can find out which areas in and around Iona are important for feeding swallows. Data will also be gathered about tree swallow migration in the Fall.

2. Bald Eagles. Several Nature Vancouver members together with an enthusiastic team, are helping to watch and determine the success rate of eagle nests. In Vancouver, there are currently 13 or 14 nests with young eagles on the peninsula west of Granville Street. Most of the young eagles are now about 3/4 of the size of adults. In North and West Vancouver there are about 12 successful nests this year, being watched by a group organized by Sally McDermott.

In Vancouver a nest was built in 2024 by a new pair that set up territory close to Southlands School, and there is now a young eagle in the nest. Nature Vancouver bird group members are planning to visit the school as soon as possible, to talk to children about eagles. 

A new nest platform for eagles was erected near the Granville Island Hotel, and we are hoping this will be used by an eagle family in 2026. A pair of eagles recently set up a territory on False Creek near the Plaza of Nations, and their nest fell down this Spring. We are looking forward to successful nesting there in the future, possibly on a platform, still to be built.

We expect all the young eagles to be fledged by late July/early August, and wish them luck in the critical period when they leave the nest. All the eagles will go north in September/October, and find early salmon runs for easy fishing.

Please contact me for more information,   Peter Ward   604-721-0217