Thursday, February 19, 2009

February Storm!

Hi all, We are storming in Maine! I am sorry to say that some of your posts were lost from the blog while I was reviewing them. I am very sorry for this slip of the cursor. The good news is that the eagles have been active at the nest and have shown many signs of pair bonding and nesting. Today the cam is snowed in but as someone pointed out temps are expected to increase and will hopefully clear up our view.

As for a question about light pollution. We use an infrared light and infrared setting on our camera to illuminate our nest at night. IR light is not detectable by birds and does not contribute to the light pollution that you were inquiring about. I hope that clarifies your concern.

Also, I would like to point you to our on-line community site at www.briloon.ning.com, sign in and catch up on all the happenings at the nest.

Have a great day and thanks for enjoying the cam!

Patrick Keenan
BioDiversity Research Institute

Saturday, February 07, 2009

Breeding efforts on the way!

Thanks for visiting and for all your comments and questions. We are currently continuing to adjust the image of this camera and nest. We anticipate that there will be some required shut downs in the next few days. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience and look forward to getting this system functioning optimally in the early part of next week. Thanks for your patience and cross your fingers that this pair breeds this year.

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Press Release

Two New Webcams Capture Maine’s Birdlife
Additional online videos, blogs, and social networking help viewers interact and learn

GORHAM, Maine, February 4, 2009—BioDiversity Research Institute today announced the expansion of its innovative wildlife education program with the release of two new webcams that will capture live video of nesting Peregrine Falcons and Bald Eagles. Simultaneously, the institute has also launched online video blogs, feature videos, and a social networking site dedicated to discussing the webcams and wildlife science.

See this interactive online world at www.briloon.org/watching-wildlife.

The new webcams will be added to BioDiversity’s already popular eagle, loon, osprey, and finch cams. Through cutting-edge technology, the new cams—both with two perspectives—will bring to people’s computers live, 24-hour-a-day video and audio of one of Maine’s 23 nesting pairs of Peregrine Falcons and a Bald Eagle’s nest with a long history of use.

“Over the past few weeks we have seen signs that the birds will nest at both the old and new eagle cam sites,” says Education and Outreach Coordinator Patrick Keenan. “And the Peregrine Falcons are already checking their nest site. We’re excited to bring the intimate moments of these birds into homes and classrooms around the world. It’s a great way to learn about wildlife.”

BioDiversity Research Institute has had great success in previous years with its existing cams, drawing national media coverage, hundreds of dedicated bloggers from around the world, and students watching from classrooms across the country. Today BioDiversity connects all these dedicated viewers by launching its online community site (www.briloon.ning.com) to allow webcam watchers to discuss their observations, ask questions, and learn from wildlife experts. Biologists from the Institute will provide community members with video blogs on wildlife topics ranging from nest building to contaminants as well as feature videos taking people into the world of field biology.

The webcams are provided free of charge for viewers around the world with collaborative support from Next Era Energy Resources, Kids in the Nest, Bank of America, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The mission of BioDiversity Research Institute is to conduct collaborative ecological research, assess ecosystem health, promote environmental awareness, and advance science-based conservation policies.


All the Best,
Patrick Keenan
Biodiversity Research Institute