Bird Cams Around the World

I am so glad that this journey has a happy new beginning. Naysayers and complainers on fb need to be ignored...this season I have had a few negative comments too, but I choose not to be offended. The mods at Richmond chat have so amazingly built community with the chatters with humor, guidelines and a few zaps for good measure....some in fun too.

I look forward to the photos that are to come and seeing R1 and R2 fledge.

Hat is GOOD to see you here. You have a wide world of birds here for sure.

I am still chuckling over R1 grabbing bites of food with little hesitation from humans. What a chick!

An article with the news fro Richmond Times Dispatch.




It was with great joy that I recorded this family and am thankful for the opportunity to be the videographer for the Richmond nest. My admiration for this eagle family grew every day.

Thanks for posting all the updates here. It has been a wonderful trip with the eagle cam family, and hopefully we will get to see them grow and fledge through photos. Thanks golden for spending all your spare time with us and keeping the other forums updated. We were very glad to have you around. I talked to Dr. Watts last night and he was optimistic and very comfortable with his choices. There will always be doubters, but it really doesn't phase him a bit. All he cares about are the birds, thankfully.

Hat, welcome to the forum! It is so nice to see you here. You can always ask questions and we will be around to answer them. Check out all the osprey nests, there is lots of action going on there! There are links to all the cams at the top of each section for your viewing pleasure.

An excerpt from Dr. Dave's Q&A on WCV chat. Dr. Dave examined R2 & R1.

Comment From Polly
Did you find any wounds on the smaller eagle? We were all so worried about him.

Comment From Amie in GA
Hi Dr Dave! So even the smaller eaglet was doing ok, all things considered?

Dr. Dave: No, both birds were in relatively good condition. On Friday, both birds were mildly dehydrated based on the stings of mucous found in the mouth. The smaller male eaglet was examined first and it was quiet, mild - moderated responsive attitude, and generally had a slumped posture. It had some muscle over the keel but was relatively under-conditioned for a four week old bird. When offered food, the male would not take fish from the tongs necessitating the food to be force fed directly into the crop. The larger female was a different story. She was in great body condition, feisty, alert, and easily took as much food as I offered directly from the tongs. No force feeding for that bird! On Saturday, the female reacted the same way as the day before however, there was a major improvement in the smaller male. The eaglet was more alert, inquisitive about its environment, and took fish from the tongs for the first several bites. I did have to force feed most of the meal however, it was clear that the fluids and food from the day before had a positive impact

Comment From pbj
What did you think about the size difference between the two eaglets - relatively normal for a #1 and #2?
Comment From Sally
Were the Richmond eaglets about the same size as the "rock stars" from the Norfolk Botanical Garden?

Dr. Dave: No, these birds were a little smaller and less developed than the Rock Star eaglets that were admitted to WCV last year. According to biologist Dr. Brian Watts, the birds were not as developed as eaglets in other nests at this time of year.

Comment From caleb
The kids would like to know what the hydrating solution was ~~ just water or what other nutrients?

Dr. Dave: I gave a fluid called Lactated Ringers Solution which is a fluid that is balanced (buffered) to be in the same state as the blood. These fluids can easily travel throughout the blood vessels and then travel through cell membranes to get into all the needed cells of the body. Some other kinds of fluids like to stay in the blood vessels where they affect blood pressure. As these eaglets were healthy, the later fluid type was not needed.

From the CCB FB page

Welcome to the forum Hat!! Glad to see you found us! Enjoy the forum and dont be shy to post. Am glad you are watching eagles and osprey!

THUMBS UP TO: Obxbarb, for all you have done for the Richmond cam. SGB! for your great job as a mod there. MICK! for all the wonderful videos, so time consuming, but EVERYONE chatting has enjoyed your videos so much, thank you.

OK, now I am crying, because I will miss our R1 and R2 so much, but THUMBS UP TO DR BRYAN WATTS!! He loves these eagles as much as we do, and is doing the right thing here, even if it means we cant see them. How sad it would have been if the parents didnt return to feed. Heartbreaking...who knows what set them off, a wrong color wire like someone said, or what...times like this THEY come first before us. And THANK YOU Dr Watts for the wonderful letter - who else even addresses the chatters? What a guy.

SGB I hope they keep the chat up, you mods are wonderful, and have kept the correct temperment on the chat. At some other sites, the mods are sometimes fresh, curt, and dont answer the chatters but talk among themselves...you guys have a great mix, and keep it fun for the schools, kids, and eagle lovers.

This has worked out so well, if they cant risk the cam at the same place next year, I think Dr Watts will have another spot to do it from. He seemed pleased with the mods and the way the chatters interacted with each other too, and the way people all over were being educated about eagles. WHAT A JOY IT WAS!!
Looking forward to pictures of our babies, and hoping the chat stays up longer....see you in the chat lol

What fantastic news that the parents have returned to the nest. The biologists knew what was right and I'm so glad they followed their instincts.

News from today. .

Parents are still there. . Fish brought in. . and mom was seen bringing in new nest material!!!

What a huge relief. All is back to normal.

Thanks everyone!

In the USA Today, April 17, 2012:

"Virginia: Richmond -- Biologists dismantled Eagle Cam over the weekend after two eagles on camera abandoned their two chicks on Friday, prompting biologists to fed the chicks. Eagle expert Bryan Watts said eagles Virginia and James returned to tend to their young on Monday."

My husband, who saw the article, asked me, "Did you know there is an eagle cam in Richmond, Virginia?"

Me: "Uh, yeah."

Thanks for letting me know Susan, I missed the USA Today blurb.

Here are some pics that I took yesterday at the nest:

Thank you so much Barb. I can't tell you happy it made me to look at your pictures.

Dr. Watts attended chat this afternoon and I wanted to post his answer to one of the questions,

obxbarb: cndray: What is Dr. Watts favorite eagle memory from his career working with them?

DrWatts-ccb: I have many good memories flying surveys or working in the field with eagles. In 2004 I climbed into a nest on the Rappahannock that had 2 chicks. Most eaglets avoid eye contact with humans. But the youngest of the brood looked deep into my eyes and held my gaze no matter where I moved like a young child yearning for discovery. That moment has never left me. To fly along the Bay and see the hand of man moving into every field and woodlot and not consider the universe of this eaglet is to ignore the deeper parts of ourselves.

I had a few moments and came here as I wanted to see how things were going.I was very surprised at what had happened.

I also want to thank everyone here for all their hard work. Truly a labor of love.

I am sorry the biologists took so much flack here. Everything is a hit and miss and they were right.
the eagles might have been spooked by a movement of the cam if it zooms in and out. One never knows.

Look what happened in Edmonton, at our falcon nest. they went up to fix cams and falcons disappeared for a week. Came back yesterday to lay eggs. I think they were spooked by the new cam in front. It should not bother them but we are not in their heads. And of course Gord, the expert, was criticized.
I am thinking about Gord, and he would have done same thing as was done here. Always best to give the parents the chance and second best to foster in another nest , if available.

Since they were going up anyway , why not take down cam , if it could present a threat to them. No harm done.

We know some biologists would have just let the eaglet starve( nature , you know) so I am glad these ones took the time to observe and act.

I have also learned that chats can be a bit negative , so I tend not to partake, but koodos to the moderators for their patience and grace. I have read some o f the comments.

I hope I get the time to watch in the next few weeks.

And a cam on the ground. Great!!!! Glad the biologists can observe.

Again to all involved in this cam.

how are things going here