Posted by
NewMexiKen on
URL: http://bald-eagles-of-broward-county-florida.17.s1.nabble.com/Rant-about-failure-of-FPL-and-or-Comcast-NBC6-to-support-a-nest-camera-in-Pembroke-Pines-tp6227044.html
The
Decorah Eagle nest cam in Iowa is technically excellent. Yesterday they had over 33,000 viewers at the same time, and today will likely be even busier (the number of viewers just exceeded 30,000 as I write this at 9:45 AM), as the first of the three eggs is expected to begin cracking open any time now. Viewers include many schools, and teachers have taken it on as class science projects.
It would be interesting to know the specs of this camera and setup. It is mounted on the nest tree, the most ideal way to do this, as it avoids distortion due to relative movement of the nest tree and/or the camera mount.
In response to several queries, I do not know whether it is the intention of the Pembroke Pines Mayor's Bald Eagle Sanctuary Steering Committee to continue efforts to install a nest camera at the City-owned Pembroke Pines site. The Steering Committee has not been convened in over a year, so it is essentially non-operational.
It is now probably too late in the year to start planning a camera for the 2011-2012 breeding season, for it would have to be installed before October, 2011. The nest camera project was not the primary objective of the Steering Committee, but it would have supported its educational goals and objectives, as well as contributed to public safety in the area around the nest. Note that the Decorah site does not have a problem with onlookers, even though it is in plain sight of the road (which is visible behind the nest).
There was good reason for FDOT to deny funding for the nest camera, as the light pole on the north side of Pines Boulevard was not a suitable site for the camera, and no other structure was available for this purpose. However, I do not understand the rationale for Florida FWC's alleged objections to mounting a camera on the nest tree, as a written explanation has never come to my attention. This would be much cheaper and less intrusive than installing a 50 foot tower or pole next to the nest. After all, two of the best eagle nest cameras are the Decorah and also the USFWS camera in W Virginia-- both are mounted on the nest trees.
Further, it is beyond belief that FPL and/or Comcast/NBC 6 does not see the advantages of providing modest monetary and material support for such a camera in Pembroke Pines. They could sell advertising on the web camera display page and reach many thousands of viewers, in addition to providing a greatly appreciated community service. I wonder if their marketing people have even analyzed the value of such a venture.
Again, view the Decorah Camera at this link and watch the eggs hatch. I especially want to see how the parents feed the newly hatched chicks and also hope to observe interactions between the nest-mates:
DECORAH (IOWA) EAGLE NEST CAMERA LIVEhttp://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles#utm_campaigne=synclickback&source=http://bald-eagles-of-broward-county-florida.1638815.n2.nabble.com/Example-of-LIVE-Bald-Eagle-Nest-Camera-in-Iowa-td6067807.html&medium=3064708