Community, environment and safety converge at Nico Wynd
Neighbours, municipal leaders and raptor experts met at Nico Wynd Golf Course in South Surrey this week as organisers seek funds and community support to relocate a bald eagle nest from a decaying tree that now poses a safety and insurance risk to nearby homes.
The meeting on Thursday afternoon was attended by Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke, bald eagle experts David Hancock and Myles Lamont, and several Nico Wynd residents. The golf course and clubhouse are owned and operated by the Nico Wynd strata complex, which is coordinating the effort with the city and provincial authorities.
“The mouth of the Nicomekl and Serpentine (rivers) and Boundary Bay (is) arguably some of the best raptor habitat or bald eagle habitat anywhere in the world. We have the highest population of both breeding as well as wintering bald eagles anywhere in the species range,”
Lamont told those gathered that the area is exceptionally rich for raptor biodiversity and that Surrey has advanced policies for managing bald eagles compared with many local jurisdictions in B.C. He said the plan is to move the nest when the eagles depart for the winter, and to install an artificial nest atop a tall pole nearby.
Why relocation is being proposed
According to experts at the meeting, the nest currently sits in a grand fir showing signs of rot at its buttress. That decay raises the possibility the tree could fall in a future windstorm. The proximity of the tree to residences has prompted concern from homeowners and insurers.
Lamont explained the proposed solution: erect a large utility pole fitted with a custom-designed aluminium basket to receive the nest material, lined with natural nest material the team has been preparing for several years. The transfer will be timed to occur after the birds leave the area for the winter.
- Who is involved: Nico Wynd strata and residents, raptor experts David Hancock and Myles Lamont, City of Surrey and provincial wildlife authorities.
- Planned action: Install tall pole with aluminium nest basket and relocate nest this fall when eagles are absent.
- Driving reason: Tree decay creating a potential fall hazard and insurance risk for nearby homes.
Local context and implications
The Nicomekl and Serpentine river mouths and nearby Boundary Bay support a notably high concentration of breeding and wintering bald eagles, making South Surrey a region of provincial and international interest for raptor conservation. That density of raptors complicates wildlife management decisions because of strong community interest in protecting both birds and people.
City involvement and the presence of experts at the meeting suggest the relocation will proceed with regulatory oversight and established wildlife-management practices. Residents at Nico Wynd are seeking to balance habitat protection with residential safety, a tension common in rapidly developed coastal jurisdictions where wildlife and neighbourhoods intersect.
Next steps and what residents should expect
Organisers say the nest will be relocated only once the birds have left for the season. The technical work will involve erecting the pole and installing the custom basket, then transferring the nest material. No timeline beyond “this fall” was given at the meeting.
| Stakeholder | Role |
|---|---|
| Nico Wynd strata | Owner/operator of golf course and primary coordinator |
| City of Surrey | Regulatory partner and municipal oversight |
| David Hancock & Myles Lamont | Raptor expertise, technical planning |
For residents across Surrey, the work at Nico Wynd underscores the city’s ongoing challenge: accommodating a rich coastal ecosystem while managing the practical demands of homes, insurance and public safety. The collaborative approach — strata, municipal officials and wildlife experts planning a timed relocation — aims to protect the eagles while reducing risk for people who live closest to the nest.
As the fall migration approaches, neighbours and interested residents can expect further details from the strata and city about scheduling and any temporary access restrictions during the relocation work.
