Bald eagles have nested in two locations close to human activity, and Parks Canada has concerns that the eagles will abandon the nests in response to human disturbance. 

The sites, located near the north end of Medicine Lake and adjacent to the Lake Annette walking trail, are actually visible to onlookers. One nest can be viewed from Lake Annette’s main beach area, and the other can be viewed from the Medicine Lake viewpoint.

Thea Mitchell, public relations and communications for Jasper National Park, said the Lake Annette nest is new, started last year, and is still small. The pair did not fledge young last year. The Medicine Lake nest is old (probably decades) and quite large. In some years the nest has been occupied by osprey. Parks Canada doesn’t have any record of nest success.

If 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. Alternate trail options to link the first and beach parking lots are the horse trail and the Lake Annette road. 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.

At Medicine Lake, the nest is approximately 300 metres from the north viewpoint. The old road that leads from the bottom of the view point along the base of the new road to the nest location will be closed within 200 m of the nest.

According to Parks Canada, bald eagles are fish-eaters during the summer months and will nest near fishbearing water bodies. Bald eagles 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.

Nesting eagles are very sensitive to disturbance throughout the breeding season. Sensitively to disturbance varies tremendously between pairs. Some will tolerate almost anything, while others need a lot of peace and quiet. 

“What we do know is that neither pair fledged young last year,” said Mitchell. “What we don’t know is why they failed. That is why we’re setting up some observations to determine if the birds are reacting to people at our closure boundaries (or beyond).”

To ensure adequate protection, and with advice from eagle experts, Parks Canada has implemented the temporary closure around the two nesting locations to decrease the possibility of human activity disturbing the nesting eagles. Parks Canada believes the closure may be lifted by June 15, when the chicks are about 21 days old.

Resource Conservation staff will monitor eagle nesting behaviour in response to human activity.

If you have any questions, please contact the following Parks Canada Resource Conservation staff: Geoff Skinner at 780-852-6226 or Mike Wesbrook at 780-852-6197.