Delta landfill in British Columbia would turn into a spot for eagle watching in fall

One volunteer at the landfill has found about 70 eagles in the years since they've started working with him, said Martina Versteeg.

Fall and winter are some of the busiest months for a raptor rescue operation in Delta, B.C., as it prepares for the annual migration of eagles scavenging at the Metro Vancouver landfill.

Martina Versteeg, the raptor care supervisor with Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, also known as OWL, said it’s a great spot for bird watching as hundreds of eagles converge to gorge at the dump.

“It’s quite a sight. There is one on every fence post. It’s quite a remarkable thing,” said Versteeg.

But it’s also dangerous for the birds and about 200 eagles are brought into their rescue operation every year with everything from broken wings to infections, lead poisoning and even electrocutions from the nearby power lines.

Versteeg said the birds are often hit by vehicles as they try to lift their food and fly into the path of a truck

“If they’ve eaten too much food, especially, then they can’t get lift as quick,” she added.

Versteeg said they see a lot of eagles in the centre with unusual infections from whatever they have been touching or eating.

Many of the birds do recover from their injuries.