B.C. webcam eaglets get names

The two eaglets on Vancouver Island that have become stars on the internet now have names Victoria and Sidney following a contest that drew thousands of entries from around the world.

The young eagles, living in a nest on the Saanich Peninsula near Victoria, are being watched on a webcam that went up on May 1, when they were five weeks old.

• LINK: Eagle Eye live cam

Surrey wildlife biologist David Hancock says the names Victoria and Sidney were the most popular, showing up in about 1,000 of the 11,000 entries. The larger bird is now named Victoria and the runt is Sidney.

The first person to suggest the two names Linda Coomey of California wins $100 worth of wildlife books.

Hancock set up the camera in the nest after another eagle webcam his website was hosting proved to be a huge hit as millions of people watched and waited for two eggs to hatch on Hornby Island.

However, the eggs failed to hatch.

• FROM MAY 4, 2006: Webcam eagle egg broken in nest

At that point, Hancock says, he looked at 155 other eagle nests before deciding on the Saanich Peninsula location for the new webcam.

A crane was used to install the camera. But he says it didn't appear to bother the eagles, as their nest is next to a small sawmill, and they've got used to the noise of heavy machinery.

• INTERVIEW: B.C. Almanac's Mark Forsythe speaks with David Hancock.