Great Blue Heron standing in Copperas Creek. Ed took this photo with my camera, as the bird was on his side of the car.
J G Ward
Monday, April 10, 2006
Friday, April 07, 2006
Hornby Island Eagle Nest
Click on the link below to view a film loop of screen shots taken while the eagles were changing places on the nest.
Or click on the Title link to open a live video stream.
If that link doesn't work, then select and copy this URL, open Windows Media Player, go to File>Open URL, and paste the URL in the dialogue box:
mms://array.galaxytelevision.net/hh001
Here are some FAQs posted by the people hosting the web cam:
About the Eagles
Which the the male? Which is the female?!
As with many of our other friends in the animal kingdom, the female is larger than the male. Roughly 30%, to be exact. The female Eagle also has a 'hookier' beak, and is generally more protective and aggressive.
How many eggs do eagles lay?
Eagles lay from one to three eggs. Five to ten days after a successful copulation, the female lays a speckled off-white or buff colored egg about the size of a goose's. The second egg is laid a few days later, followed by a possible third.
When were the eggs laid? When are they expected to hatch?
The eggs were laid on March 21st and 24th, and are expected to hatch around the 26th and 30th respectively. Make sure you book the time off work! Wink
How long has this pair been mating?
Eagles mate for life unless one is killed in which case the other will
try to find another mate. Eagles have been known to live past 40 in the wild and 60+ in captivity.
About the Nest
Where is the Nest?
The Nest is located in private property on Hornby Island, British Columbia, Canada. It is about 100 ft (30 meters) up an evergreen tree.
From the ground, the nest is not visible. The island is a rural area, with most properties being an acre or so in size.
Where is 'Hornby Island'?
Hornby Island is in the Straight of Georgia, the body of water seperating the BC Mainland and Vancouver Island.
Google Maps Page: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&t=k&ll=49.51986,-124.65723&spn=0.077674,0.214748
About the Technology
How far away from the Nest is the camera?
What sort of Camera is being used?
The Camera is a typical CCTV Camera (Closed Circuit Television), with a mono-input microphone.
How is the Camera connected to the 'Real World'?
Coax cable connects the camera over 100 metres over a rural road back to Doug Carrick's home, which supplies power to the camera, and
in return receives video and audio data. The Data is then passed into Infotec's Galaxy Encoder, which formats the data into a TV-
Quality internet stream, before broadcasting it directly to Infotec's world-class Datacenter in Los Angeles. Once the data arrives in LA, it
is rebroadcast through our array of streaming servers.
Doesn't the camera disturb the Eagles?
The camera is industrial CCTV, and as such has no moving parts, blinking lights, or other outwardly distracting features. It is camoflaged with tree bark to ensure that it does not look out of place! The camera is being consistently watched by hundreds of highly experienced eagle watchers worldwide, so rest assured that if the notice any sort of problem or distress, we'll all know too.
Why can't we have Night Vision? Why can't you put a better camera up in the tree?
The Camera had to be placed during the time the eagles were away from the nest. As any 'invasion of the eagles privacy' would cause
them to abandon the nest, it cannot be looked at or changed until later in the third quarter of the year.
Other things you might be asking
Who is Benn Kramer?
Benn Kramer is an accomplished nature photographer, long distance swimmer and scuba diver from Hornby Island, B.C., Canada, off the coast of Vancouver. His stunning photographs of the eagle family residing in his family campgrounds and his personal involvement with this eagle family have made Benn a local, and more recently, a national, celebrity.
Benn is somewhat of a local hero on Hornby Island, where he rescued two baby eagles after they fell from their nest. The eagle nest is high up in an old-growth Douglas Fir tree on a sheer cliff face.
Benn has autism, a mental condition that affects a person's ability to interact with the outside world. Benn promotes autism awareness by participating in fundraising events including an annual long distance swim around Manhattan Island. - http://www.eagleman.ca
Benn has since passed away due to a climbing accident in October 21, 2005 - he will be missed by many throughout Vancouver and the world.
Or click on the Title link to open a live video stream.
If that link doesn't work, then select and copy this URL, open Windows Media Player, go to File>Open URL, and paste the URL in the dialogue box:
mms://array.galaxytelevision.net/hh001
Here are some FAQs posted by the people hosting the web cam:
About the Eagles
Which the the male? Which is the female?!
As with many of our other friends in the animal kingdom, the female is larger than the male. Roughly 30%, to be exact. The female Eagle also has a 'hookier' beak, and is generally more protective and aggressive.
How many eggs do eagles lay?
Eagles lay from one to three eggs. Five to ten days after a successful copulation, the female lays a speckled off-white or buff colored egg about the size of a goose's. The second egg is laid a few days later, followed by a possible third.
When were the eggs laid? When are they expected to hatch?
The eggs were laid on March 21st and 24th, and are expected to hatch around the 26th and 30th respectively. Make sure you book the time off work! Wink
How long has this pair been mating?
Eagles mate for life unless one is killed in which case the other will
try to find another mate. Eagles have been known to live past 40 in the wild and 60+ in captivity.
About the Nest
Where is the Nest?
The Nest is located in private property on Hornby Island, British Columbia, Canada. It is about 100 ft (30 meters) up an evergreen tree.
From the ground, the nest is not visible. The island is a rural area, with most properties being an acre or so in size.
Where is 'Hornby Island'?
Hornby Island is in the Straight of Georgia, the body of water seperating the BC Mainland and Vancouver Island.
Google Maps Page: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&t=k&ll=49.51986,-124.65723&spn=0.077674,0.214748
About the Technology
How far away from the Nest is the camera?
What sort of Camera is being used?
The Camera is a typical CCTV Camera (Closed Circuit Television), with a mono-input microphone.
How is the Camera connected to the 'Real World'?
Coax cable connects the camera over 100 metres over a rural road back to Doug Carrick's home, which supplies power to the camera, and
in return receives video and audio data. The Data is then passed into Infotec's Galaxy Encoder, which formats the data into a TV-
Quality internet stream, before broadcasting it directly to Infotec's world-class Datacenter in Los Angeles. Once the data arrives in LA, it
is rebroadcast through our array of streaming servers.
Doesn't the camera disturb the Eagles?
The camera is industrial CCTV, and as such has no moving parts, blinking lights, or other outwardly distracting features. It is camoflaged with tree bark to ensure that it does not look out of place! The camera is being consistently watched by hundreds of highly experienced eagle watchers worldwide, so rest assured that if the notice any sort of problem or distress, we'll all know too.
Why can't we have Night Vision? Why can't you put a better camera up in the tree?
The Camera had to be placed during the time the eagles were away from the nest. As any 'invasion of the eagles privacy' would cause
them to abandon the nest, it cannot be looked at or changed until later in the third quarter of the year.
Other things you might be asking
Who is Benn Kramer?
Benn Kramer is an accomplished nature photographer, long distance swimmer and scuba diver from Hornby Island, B.C., Canada, off the coast of Vancouver. His stunning photographs of the eagle family residing in his family campgrounds and his personal involvement with this eagle family have made Benn a local, and more recently, a national, celebrity.
Benn is somewhat of a local hero on Hornby Island, where he rescued two baby eagles after they fell from their nest. The eagle nest is high up in an old-growth Douglas Fir tree on a sheer cliff face.
Benn has autism, a mental condition that affects a person's ability to interact with the outside world. Benn promotes autism awareness by participating in fundraising events including an annual long distance swim around Manhattan Island. - http://www.eagleman.ca
Benn has since passed away due to a climbing accident in October 21, 2005 - he will be missed by many throughout Vancouver and the world.
Monday, April 03, 2006
Friday, March 31, 2006
Early Spring Flower. This little blue flower is one of the first we find in the spring. I had never been able to identify it until I visited Lee Ann in Wisconsin this spring. They were growing all over her yard, and she called them "scillia." I was then able to search online to identify these flowers as Scilla sibirica Haw.
J G Ward
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Hooded Mergansers. We had a great birding afternoon at Copperas Landing. We followed the dike road from Banner, and saw some wonderful birds. A pair of Pileated Woodpeckers flew over the road as we drove out to the landing. Three or four Great Blue Herons were feeding along the banks of the Illinois. A flock of several dozen Dark-eyed Juncos were feeding at the landing. And many dozens of Wood Ducks were seen flying out of the creek bed as we drove on the road along Copperas Creek on our way back from the landing. But the highlight of our visit occured when I stopped to photograph a pair of what I thought were Wood Ducks. When we got home and I enlarged the photographs I could see that they were Hooded Mergansers, a species I've never spotted before. It isn't a great photo, but it is a photo of Hooded Mergansers!
J G Ward
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