To decrease the chance of human activity disturbing the nesting eagles, Parks Canada has implemented small temporary closures in the area directly around both nests for the past couple of years. In 2011, a young eaglet survived from the Lake Annette nest, but not from Medicine Lake. In 2012, it was the reverse, with only the Medicine Lake nest successfully producing an eaglet.
Parks Canada has implemented the temporary closure again this year. From just outside the closed areas, there are great opportunities to bring your binoculars and quietly observe the nests. The areas will re-open when the young eaglets can fly, in approximately late July.
Bald eagles are fish-eaters during the summer months and will nest near fish-bearing water bodies. They lay one to three eggs and incubation is about 35 days. Once the eggs hatch, the male does most of the foraging while the female tends the young. Once the young can thermo-regulate on their own (three or four weeks), the female starts to forage as well, although a young eaglet has a fledging period of 10-12 weeks.
Lake Annette
If you are planning to visit Lake Annette this spring, please be aware that the trail along the north shore will be closed. The majority of the paved trail that encircles the lake will remain accessible from the first and main beach parking lots. An alternate trail option to link the first and beach parking lots is the horse trail. A floating buoy line that extends into the lake will be used to keep people from approaching too close to the nest from the water. The main beach at Lake Annette provides an excellent spot to view the nest.
Medicine Lake
The nest is approximately 300 metres from the north viewpoint at Medicine Lake. The old road that leads from the bottom of the viewpoint along the base of the new road to the nest location will be closed within 200 metres of the nest. This view point is an excellent location for observing the nest.
Maps illustrating the closed areas are available on our website, , under “Important Bulletins.”
