Hundreds of eagles spotted in Squamish count: Environmental society

More eagles have been spotted around the Squamish area this year compared to last, as the Squamish Environmental Society says hundreds of the majestic birds were glimpsed during its annual count.

In a news release from the Squamish Environmental Society, it says the 37th Brackendale Winter Eagle Count was a success.

The Squamish Environmental Society says volunteers spotted an adult eagle near the Upper Squamish River. (Photo courtesy Squamish Environmental Society)

The gallery says “Brackendale is ‘the world eagle capital,’ where a world record count, 3,769, of wintering American Bald Eagles was recorded in 1994.”

This year, over 900 eagles were counted, which is over 100 more than were counted last year.

A tally board set up to keep track of the eagles found by volunteers. (Photo courtesy Squamish Environmental Society)

However, this is still lower than the 36-year average of over 1,300, and significantly lower than the record of more than 3,700 set nearly 30 years ago.

“Dry conditions early in the fall meant that the salmon were delayed in their return to spawn. Once the salmon did return, the eagles began showing up in good numbers, and we had the highest peak hourly count we’ve had since 2012,” the society explained.

The group says 50 volunteers scouted 16 areas from the Upper Squamish Valley to downtown Squamish, and from Paradise Valley to the Stawamus River.

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Some of the areas weren’t fully counted, because they didn’t have the use of a boat. With ‘heroic efforts,’ the team says the areas that teams could reach by raft were counted.

“Recent weather has included several of the atmospheric rivers we normally get earlier in the fall. As we guessed, the eagles moved up river to take advantage of the good numbers of spawning Coho members have reported there in the shallow channels,” it added.