The first Sunday after New Year’s Day: Volunteers spend several hours to a full day counting eagles on foot, by vehicle, or raft, from downtown Squamish, to the Stawamus, Squamish and Cheakamus River Valleys. Pre-registration required.
When:
- The first Sunday after New Year’s Day.
- Routes take several hours to a full day, depending on location and conditions.
Who:
- Hardy eagle enthusiasts with good eyesight and a pair of binoculars!
- Good fitness and winter hiking experience are recommended. Some routes may involve walking in deep snow or on icy trails and weather conditions may be very cold, wet or snowy.
- The Count Coordinator will do their best to match participants’ abilities to available routes.
Where:
- Routes cover the greater Squamish area from downtown Squamish to the upper Squamish Valley, Paradise Valley, and Stawamus River.
- They may include urban neighbourhoods, trails, and logging roads.
- The Count headquarters are in Brackendale and can be reached by vehicle or public transit.
What is involved?
- Volunteers are pre-assigned to one of 20 routes across the Squamish area.
- Teams spend several hours to a full day counting adult and juvenile bald eagles perched in trees, feeding on salmon from the sand bars, or soaring overhead.
- Travel may be by foot, snowshoe, ski, vehicle, or raft, depending on the route and conditions.
- Some routes require driving on rough logging roads or travelling by raft.
- At the end of the day, volunteers return to the Count headquarters to tally the results.
More Info:
- Pre-registration is required.
- Volunteers must sign a waiver.
- Participants under 19 require parent or guardian consent.