here's a picture of the place we're headed, photo by the Nature Conservancy, an the canoes we're using, built by my friends Rollin and Pete.
in advance...
Friday, May 18, 2007
Saturday thread
here's a picture of the place we're headed, photo by the Nature Conservancy, an the canoes we're using, built by my friends Rollin and Pete.
in advance...
Friday
new thread. Pic by Suzanne.
I am heading up to Northern Maine in the morning for a river trip on the St.John River. Needless to say I will be away from computers and thus my next entry will be in a week of so.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Monday, May 14, 2007
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Friday, May 11, 2007
Friday
Foggy morning here, and the cam is reflecting the lack of visibility and solar energy.
New thread.
Update: Saw the male in the nest yesterday and he was continuing to build up the sides of the nest. Suzanne has pics of a visit this AM, they seem to be showing up right at dawn each day.
New thread.
Update: Saw the male in the nest yesterday and he was continuing to build up the sides of the nest. Suzanne has pics of a visit this AM, they seem to be showing up right at dawn each day.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Wednesday
New thread.
With our lack of activity in the nest, this has prompted us to start a dialogue to plan the improvements to the cam that we had hoped to deal with last year. I'll keep you posted on the planning as we go forward.
With our lack of activity in the nest, this has prompted us to start a dialogue to plan the improvements to the cam that we had hoped to deal with last year. I'll keep you posted on the planning as we go forward.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Monday, May 07, 2007
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Saturday, May 05, 2007
Friday, May 04, 2007
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Tuesday
New thread.
I have made some cosmetic changes to the blog as Blogger has better customization tools now.
I have made some cosmetic changes to the blog as Blogger has better customization tools now.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Saturday
Was at the Potomac Valley Audubon Society "This Race is for the Birds" 5K cross country race this AM at NCTC. A great turnout to support PVAS.
New thread.
New thread.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Thursday
The Cam problems are in Denver, we are working to fix them this AM.
Both of the eagles were in the nest as I walked in.
New thread.
update 10:10 am--Cam fixed.
Both of the eagles were in the nest as I walked in.
New thread.
update 10:10 am--Cam fixed.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Monday, April 23, 2007
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Saturday
New thread. What a beautiful day today.
We had a U.S. senator here yesterday. He got very excited when we pointed out the nest and the eagle that was standing on a limb nearby. Out came his camera and a big telephoto lens, and I think he got some great shots.
We had a U.S. senator here yesterday. He got very excited when we pointed out the nest and the eagle that was standing on a limb nearby. Out came his camera and a big telephoto lens, and I think he got some great shots.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Tuesday PM
New thread. Was in meetings all morning thus I'm late today. Really not much new to report here, except our window is rapidly closing, if not already closed.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Friday, April 13, 2007
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Monday, April 09, 2007
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Saturday
We got almost an inch here in Loudoun, but looks like less in Shepherdstown. My friend Pete, in an email last night, reported 16" at his home in Maine.
Spring ain't here yet thread.
Spring ain't here yet thread.
Friday, April 06, 2007
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
update
Steve Wunderley and I were just meeting with a reporter for the Martinsburg Journal who is planning an eagle story. We watched as the female came onto the nest and sat down, just as the rain started.
We too thought maybe it's time for an egg. But no egg yet.
However, it is very interesting that she flew in and sat down where the eggs would go, just as the rain started. Now that the rain's stopped, and she's off again (and perched a few feet away from the nest as I write), you can see that the nest is dry in that spot.
Steve W. says that's a good sign. But only time will tell.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Monday, April 02, 2007
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Friday, March 30, 2007
Friday
We had an early briefing with our new Deputy Director and we had the TV in the conference room on the live feed. The eagle pair showed up 10 minutes into the briefing and stayed the whole time, distracting all of us for the remainder of the meeting.
New thread.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Tuesday
Big doings here this morning. I drove in to see our eagle pair perched above the nest.
Steve Wunderley caught me as I came in and said that he observed the pair mating ealier this AM. Steve says that that is a very good sign for another clutch. No guarantees, but steve said it is promising.
Steve also said that this is a very unusual pair of eagles, and we should expect the unexpected.
Update:
If there was some success, we should see an eggs or eggs in about a week.
Steve Wunderley caught me as I came in and said that he observed the pair mating ealier this AM. Steve says that that is a very good sign for another clutch. No guarantees, but steve said it is promising.
Steve also said that this is a very unusual pair of eagles, and we should expect the unexpected.
Update:
If there was some success, we should see an eggs or eggs in about a week.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Saturday
Had a bad feeling with all of that rain.
Still a chance that they will lay more eggs, but we'll see what happens.
New thread.
Still a chance that they will lay more eggs, but we'll see what happens.
New thread.
Friday, March 23, 2007
update
We've all been watching today's nest action. We are figuring the restless behavior of the female is due to one of two things.
First and hopefully, She senses that an egg will soon hatch.
Second, and hopefully not in our future, is that she is sensing that the eggs are not going to hatch and she getting ready to give up.
Keep watching.
First and hopefully, She senses that an egg will soon hatch.
Second, and hopefully not in our future, is that she is sensing that the eggs are not going to hatch and she getting ready to give up.
Keep watching.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Thursday
New thread.
Update:
Here is an excerpt from the NU Webcam (now called FirstLight) on egg viability that may be relevant to our nest this year, keeping in mind that they are talking about a Massachusetts nest:
"During incubation, the adults must keep the eggs warm and dry as exposure to rain and snow can chill and kill the developing embryos. Late snowstorms have resulted in the failure of many Massachusetts eagle nesting attempts, most notably the April Fools blizzard of 1997 which dumped up to 20 inches of heavy wet snow across the western half of the state. That year, four pairs of eagles nesting along the Connecticut River, including the pair under Eagle Cam, all failed to produce chicks. The snow that built up on the nests melted and collapsed around the eggs and the adults were unable to keep the egg cup warm and dry."
Hopefully our eggs here have not been impacted in a similar way.
Update:
Here is an excerpt from the NU Webcam (now called FirstLight) on egg viability that may be relevant to our nest this year, keeping in mind that they are talking about a Massachusetts nest:
"During incubation, the adults must keep the eggs warm and dry as exposure to rain and snow can chill and kill the developing embryos. Late snowstorms have resulted in the failure of many Massachusetts eagle nesting attempts, most notably the April Fools blizzard of 1997 which dumped up to 20 inches of heavy wet snow across the western half of the state. That year, four pairs of eagles nesting along the Connecticut River, including the pair under Eagle Cam, all failed to produce chicks. The snow that built up on the nests melted and collapsed around the eggs and the adults were unable to keep the egg cup warm and dry."
Hopefully our eggs here have not been impacted in a similar way.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Update
The have been questions about egg viability/hatching times that Steve W. and I will try to address for you.
Normal incubation period is about 35 days, although a few sources say longer, up to 45. We think that the cold weather during incubation can have an effect on the eggs that could add several days onto the normal incubation period. This could explain why we don't have another hatch yet. We have likely exceeded the time period that we saw a hatch last year.
With that in mind, the days are ticking off, and we think if we do not see a hatch by the end of the weekend, we may be facing egg viability problems.
Bent says this:
"...He gives the period of incubation as 34 to 35 days under normal conditions, though interrupted incubation may require a somewhat longer time. "
Let's wait and see.
Normal incubation period is about 35 days, although a few sources say longer, up to 45. We think that the cold weather during incubation can have an effect on the eggs that could add several days onto the normal incubation period. This could explain why we don't have another hatch yet. We have likely exceeded the time period that we saw a hatch last year.
With that in mind, the days are ticking off, and we think if we do not see a hatch by the end of the weekend, we may be facing egg viability problems.
Bent says this:
"...He gives the period of incubation as 34 to 35 days under normal conditions, though interrupted incubation may require a somewhat longer time. "
Let's wait and see.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Tuesday
New Thread.
We're up at Yale today digging through the papers of renowned writer and FWS employee Rachel Carson, who was born 100 years ago this year.
We're up at Yale today digging through the papers of renowned writer and FWS employee Rachel Carson, who was born 100 years ago this year.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Monday
New thread. Here is a reprint from the comments the other day. John estimates the battery is up near 12 volts, and it needs to be 12.6. He'll head out after 12:00 to check the system at the tree.
Good Morning Eagle watchers. I feel your frustration with the NCTC Eaglecam this year. We also are unable to see the cam on campus. It seems the battery keeps losing it's charge. To give you a heads up, Mike & I (John) have worked on this project from the beginning. Last month during 20 degree weather, and high winds we replaced a failed microwave transmitter 100 yards from the tree onto the side of the barn. So cold we couldn't feel our finger tips. Steve purchased a new battery, which was replaced early in the season. He also purchased a new solar controller, which we replaced. We also verified the voltage on all 3 solar panels. The solar controller will cut off the load (camera & microwave feed) when the voltage drops below 11.4V, then will reconnect the load when the battery is charged up to 12.6V We don't want to replace batteries at this point, due to scaring the eagles off the nest. The live feed problem is not here at the NCTC, but network security implemented at the department level. Mike has been working closely with the department to get this corrected. Anyway, I feel and see your frustration, especially when reading the comments in this BLOG. I assure all of you, we've all worked hard to try and provide this service to you.--John NCTC
Good Morning Eagle watchers. I feel your frustration with the NCTC Eaglecam this year. We also are unable to see the cam on campus. It seems the battery keeps losing it's charge. To give you a heads up, Mike & I (John) have worked on this project from the beginning. Last month during 20 degree weather, and high winds we replaced a failed microwave transmitter 100 yards from the tree onto the side of the barn. So cold we couldn't feel our finger tips. Steve purchased a new battery, which was replaced early in the season. He also purchased a new solar controller, which we replaced. We also verified the voltage on all 3 solar panels. The solar controller will cut off the load (camera & microwave feed) when the voltage drops below 11.4V, then will reconnect the load when the battery is charged up to 12.6V We don't want to replace batteries at this point, due to scaring the eagles off the nest. The live feed problem is not here at the NCTC, but network security implemented at the department level. Mike has been working closely with the department to get this corrected. Anyway, I feel and see your frustration, especially when reading the comments in this BLOG. I assure all of you, we've all worked hard to try and provide this service to you.--John NCTC
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Saturday
Back from the city through the storm. New thread. The cold weather continues to takes its cam toll, apparently.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Monday, March 12, 2007
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Friday, March 09, 2007
Friday
I'm in Wyoming today. It is warmer here than in WV.
New thread. Hopefully we'll have a fix for the cam soon.
New thread. Hopefully we'll have a fix for the cam soon.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Monday, March 05, 2007
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Friday, March 02, 2007
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Friday, February 23, 2007
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Wednesday Update
I'm starting to sound like a broken record...the guys are doing what they can to alleviate these continued problems. The control boxes are not accessible due to the ice and they are afraid to make a big ruckus under the nest right now. I'm pushing as hard as I can...
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Tuesday
New thread. Been away from the computer for a couple of days... Looks like some of the snow is melting in the nest. Thanks to the guys for the continued tech support.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Sunday
New thread. Give the sun a chance to charge up the cold battery and we should be back online.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Friday, February 16, 2007
Frozen Friday
Finally got our picture back today. The very low temps have raised havoc with the battery. I'm working on status of the live cam.
new thread.
Frozen Friday
Finally got our picture back today. The very low temps have raised havoc with the battery. I'm working on status of the live cam.
new thread.
new thread.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Wednesday
NCTC is closed today due to the snow and ice. They just now plowed my street, which has a layer of snow and then 3/4 of an inch of ice on top. I suspect that the cam transmitter is ice covered, thus the problem.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Monday, February 12, 2007
Monday 12 Feb
New thread.
We're working to fine tune the picture as it looks a little overexposed right now.
three eggs. wow.
We're working to fine tune the picture as it looks a little overexposed right now.
three eggs. wow.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Friday, February 09, 2007
Thursday, February 08, 2007
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9/29 Bella and Scout
1128 am Scout lands in the nest. Scout notices the piece of fish in the nest lol. Love how he eyes the fish up then just as he is about to t...
