Campbell River Bald Eagle Fest features “Eagles and Fish”

The Campbell River Bald Eagle Festival celebrates the majestic lord of the local skies on Feb. 25.

Alistair Taylor/The Mirror

Have you seen them soaring in the skies over the waters along our coastline?

Maybe you have noticed their dark images when you drive along the highway perched high in a tree top?

They are big, majestic and Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society (MARS) wants to celebrate them with a festival in Campbell River on Feb. 25 at the Maritime Heritage Centre.

MARS is the host of the Campbell River Bald Eagle Festival which is sponsored by BC HYDRO and 97.3 FM the Eagle radio. Each year hundreds of these big birds come to our shore and line up, waiting for the big feast.  What they feed upon mainly are fish and herring that spawn in our coastal waters by the millions in late February and early March. The birds have spent time here waiting since the salmon spawned in our rivers in the late fall and now they are getting hungry. The theme of the festival this year is “Eagles and Fish” and you will find many experts in their field on this day talking about these big birds that live in our communities.

The doors open to the Public at 10 am with a low charge of $5 per person or $10 per family. MARS members get in free.  Beginning with a welcome by Mayor Walter Jakeway, at 10:30 a.m. the first guest speaker is Ashley Park a biologist who has studied salmon.  Ramona deGraaf will follow at 11:30 a.m., and will present a lively talk and walk along the shoreline to upturn the sand and gravels to discover the marvels of forage fish.

The afternoon begins at 1 p.m. features Joanna Preston, a biologist who has spent time studying the migration habits of bald eagles during her work for wind farm corporations. Then Robert Scriba will present an amazing array of photos taken while working in Knight inlet, featuring magnificent grizzly bears. There will be a photography workshop following with lots of information and tips for getting the right picture thanks to PhotoTech foto source, the sponsors of Eagle Fest's photo contest this year. This is a peoples choice award contest so everyone gets a vote. If you haven’'t submitted a picture yet there might still be time, check our website for more information www.wingtips.org.

During the day at the Maritime Heritage Centre you will find displays featuring wildlife with Steve Howard, Gerry Powers and his amazing “Owls of BC” the Wildlife Tree Stewardship program, Rocky Point bird Observatory and talk with Thor Froslev from the Brackendale art gallery who has counted eagles for 27 years. Greenways Land Trust and the City of Campbell River will have displays about work they are doing within the community.

MARS will be having their tables set up on the mezzanine upstairs with items for sale – including bald eagle hot chocolates, conservation calendars, memberships, and more.  “Harrison” the Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival mascot will return to charm kids of all ages and there will be a Kid’s Korner as well as foods from the kitchen.

This is a great way to spend the day, learning about wildlife in our area, support MARS fundraising efforts and enjoy the wonderful world around us.