Winter Lights Festival at Seneca Creek State Park
Gaithersburg, Maryland

http://www.gaithersburgmd.gov/winterlights/07_main.html

Winter Lights features more than 380 illuminated vignettes and 65 animated displays in a 3.5 mile drive through beautiful Seneca Creek State Park. Theme areas include Winter Woods, Teddy Bear Land, Victorian Village, North Pole, Toyland, and Penguin Cove.
Proceeds Benefit Local Charities.

To view the slideshow and video clips in a larger format, click the link below

http://picasaweb.google.com/EagletMomsters/SenecaCreekWinterLights

George II or Gracie feeding newly hatched eaglet(s) on December 27, 2007.

Visit http://www.capecoral.net/eaglecam/ to view this eagle pair in Cape Coral, FL.

I just love this cam.

www.moosewatch.com

NCTC Nestorations - December 9, 2007

A Snowy Day at the nest with Liberty & Belle

Thank You, John!

John installed the fuel cell for the solar panels today. This should resolve the power issue for the cam! Whoo Hoo!! Check out the size of those panels! Looks like a rather involved task. Thanks John, Steve and the IT crew at NCTC!!

PS - Don't forget to click on the pics to see them full size!

Momsters make the News!

Thanks to an article by Steve Chase in The Observer, a Shepherdstown, WV monthly publication.

Steve Chase, Special Assistant to the Director of NCTC, wrote an article for the Observer on NCTC's first decade. He discusses how NCTC was originally planned to be in Harper's Ferry, but when that deal fell through, a Shepherdstown resident sold her property to NCTC for their current site. Steve also discusses the numerous programs NCTC has initiated with Shepherd College and the Shepherd Wellness Center. NCTC's local partners include The Conservation Fund and their local Freshwater Institute, the Potomac Valley Audobon Society, the American Conservation Film Festival and others. Steve also discusses the popular conservation and community series of lectures and flims, in conjunction with the Friends of NCTC, that bring internationally renowned writers, artists and scientists to Shepherdstown for public events.

West End Sunset

Photo courtesy Steffani at IWS

West End Nest is up and has a new view! IWS will be able to zoom in on the nest later in the active eagle season.

The nest is circled in yellow.

http://www.iws.org/

And here is a short video of West End Nest today

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8cHFMn9ScM

A short video of the Blackwater Osprey Cam

Please be sure to visit and support

The Friends of Blackwater at

http://www.friendsofblackwater.org/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH3hE6S3slU

And for those of you who cannot view youtube, you can view it below.

How lucky are we tonight!!

Click on the above picture for a little

"Nest Animation"

NCTC cam is back in operation!

Thanks to Mits for snapping the first picture of the season!!

After months of waiting, the NCTC cam is back in action! And look who showed up! Belle paid a quick visit to the nest tonight!

Visit the cam at: http://www.fws.gov/nctc/cam/eaglecam.htm

First and Second and Third Egg for Frieda and Frodo!

Frieda and Frodo are a pair of peregrine falcons nesting on an apartment building ledge in Brisbane, Australia. The first egg arrived just after midnight, on the morning of Sunday, August 19. The eggs are laid at around 48hr intervals. She will actively incubate the eggs when the second and later eggs are laid. With Peregrines, the first couple of eggs are likely to hatch on the same day with the last up to 2 days later. Incubation will take about 33 days with fledging happening around 6 weeks after that. In Australia, peregrine falcons will nest from August through to October, laying two to four eggs. Last year I watched this pair raise 3 healthy eyasses. The webcam has been in operation since 2003.

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/extras/frodocam/default.htm

Morning Has Broken

Sunrise on the Santa Cruz nest with Limuw set to music

NCTC Visit, July 14, 2007

Yes, a great time was had by all! Most met at the Clarion where they boarded the Eagle Express for a quick drive thru town before landing at Sandra's house. The Eagle Express was a beautiful motor home driven by Wanda (costumelady) and her husband.We started with lunch at Sandra's house in Shepherdstown. Vicky and Iris both found Sandra's house OK. Jill arrived late, but she made it!! We had subs and chips and fruit and veggies and brownies and Baltimore Berger cookies!!

Around 2 we boarded the Eagle Express and a couple of cars and headed for NCTC....where guess who was waiting for us in the tree!!! Yes, Belle was there to greet us. We actually drove right up to the barn next to the tree. She stayed in the tree for about 5 minutes before taking off across the meadow (directly behind the cam) and perching herself in another sycamore tree. She was actually sitting in a very open spot on the tree, and we gazed upon her for about an hour before she did a poop shoot, took off back over part of the meadow, back around some trees and off to the river. Maybe Lib was waiting there for her with a fish! We waited for over an hour, but there was no return to the tree by either Lib or Belle. Must have been nice down by the river :) It really was a beautiful day to visit the nest...

We headed back to the Clarion for dinner around 4:30, where a couple of other momsters like Dana, Nilla and Sunny met us for dinner. I think we had 28 or 29 people for dinner! The staff at the Rumsey Tavern was wonderful! We started out with drinks, then got our appetizers and dinner. A special cake for dessert, and a raffle to boot!There was much socializing, hugging and chatting going on the whole time! I think the dinner finally was over sometime around 8pm and there were lots of special hugs given out. Oh, and I forgot to mention the special "Eagle Talon" drinks that Wanda's husband whipped up while we were at the nest! Yum!....and Norma did check her cane at the door! LOL

For more pictures......(coming soon!)

Santa Cruz Fledge

Limuw, eaglet A63, fledges from the Santa Cruz Nest on June 28, 2007

Limuw, eaglet A63, returns to the nest minutes after his initial flight

Limuw, eaglet A63, takes off again and truly fledges!

Osprey Banding Trip to Patuxent River Park

Day old Osprey Chick

Greg Kearns, biologist at Patuxent River Park, takes a group of featherheads out on the Patuxent River in Upper Marlboro, MD to band osprey.

Click on each image above for a larger picture.

More pictures and video soon!

A Helping Hand

The Osprey chick on the left at the Connecticut Audobon Society cam had a piece of bubble wrap around its neck. The Connecticut Audobon Society was notified and someone kayaked out to the nest and removed it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQunkihb-3Q



Picture above shows bubble wrap around the chicks neck

Picture above shows Mom returned to the nest shortly after the bubble wrap was cut off.

Lunch in Norfolk

A fledgling eating a fish in the Norfolk nest.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3Y2I2tWBrQ

Sibling Rivalry June 6, 2007

Chick #1 lets Chick #2 know he's the boss.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWiFyv-st5o

DPOF Lunchtime June 6, 2007

Betty Feeds Chick #2 a good lunch. The chicks learn to eat fast, as Betty delivers quickly!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JARLAw_xqEw

Barton's Cove Eaglets June 5,2007

The eaglets are playing in the nest with a stick, then both parents arrive with a huge fish for breakfast for the eaglets, who proceed to lay on it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M5BxC3awMo

Norfolk - Up close and personal

June 2, 2007

Short video of Norfolk fledglings

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sA-DAMno28A

The Norfolk Fledglings are really making the cam operator work hard!

June 1, 2007

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lhzA3Iyros

Dennis Puleston Osprey Cam

Brunch for the chicks - June 1, 2007

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dSDy1lTbzA

Twin Rocks Banding - May 28, 2007

Thanks to Dr. Sharpe for the videos.

Visit www.iws.org to learn more about the bald eagle restoration project on the Channel Islands of California.

Two Harbors Banding - May 30, 2007

Thanks to Dr Sharpe for the banding videos.

Visit www.iws.org to learn more about the bald eagle restoration project on the Channel Islands in California.

West End Banding - May 27, 2007

Thanks to Dr Sharpe for the banding videos.

Visit www.iws.org to learn more about the Bald Eagle restoration project on the

Channel Islands of California.

Returning the chicks to the nest

Videos from the West End and Two Harbors Nests provided by Dr Sharpe

West End Nest - May 16, 2007

http://s111.photobucket.com/albums/n133/sharpe_01/?action=view&current=WE_51607.flv

Two Harbors Nest - May 16, 2007

http://s111.photobucket.com/albums/n133/sharpe_01/?action=view&current=th51607.flv

John and Ajay get married! May 12, 2007

John and Amanda Compton Wedding Party
Ajay, John and Me


Sons Michael and John



Grandson Cohen and John

Beautiful Bride Ajay

Click on each picture for a Larger image!!

Norfolk Botannical Gardens

Eaglet Banding April 17, 2007

Part 1

The biologists climb the tree to prepare for lowering the eaglets for banding.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zq9kuk-dgbo

Part 2

The eaglets are lowered out of the tree for banding and measuring on the ground.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPahhMiY-YA

Part 3

The eaglets are banded one by one and returned to the nest.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zigLcze31Hg

And for those of you than cannot view youtube, Parts 1, 2 & 3 respectively

Dr. Sharpe fosters the West End Eaglets back into their nest.

April 8, 2007

Part 1

01 Defending the nest Before Dr Sharpe's Arrival

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggSAjYK-lCQ

Part 2

Dr. Sharpe places 3 eaglets into the nest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIjuHNCcS_E

Part 3

The Eagles return to the nest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj2vjFtaJPg

And for those that cannot view youtube, Parts 1, 2 and 3

Liberty & Belle pay the nest an extended evening visit

April 5, 2007

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aD2NJayr4G4

And for those of you that cannot view youtube -

Norfolk Eagles, March 29, 2007

Some great shots including the adult taking off from the nest,

and the eaglets finding their wings!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HU4UOAnC04

Norfolk eagles

Both parents feeding the 3 eaglets.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN81Mck5IpE

Norfolk Botanical Eagle Cam

March 24, 2007

Watch the 3 eaglets playing, poop shoot and eating!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53uIzYXxrg0

Liberty and Belle tried their best to hatch 3 eggs through snow, sleet and rain. But it was not meant to be for them this year. It is with heavy heart that I present this video of their last morning at the nest, as they realize their eggs are gone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZQ9Zr_0E8w

And for those of you that cannot view youtube -

Waiting for Eaglets
March 20, 2007

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1KujLX-fC8

All Around the Eagles Nests

March 12, 2007

Video from Barton's Cove - Norfolk, Va -

Maine and Santa Cruz

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WB6g13shfwQ

Blackwater Eagle Festival Slideshow

March 10, 2007

http://picasaweb.google.com/EagletMomsters/BlackwaterEagleFestivalMarch102007

A Snowy Day

March 7, 2007

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSzp_BUqh_Q

Rollin', Rollin', Rollin', keep those eggs a rollin'.

Video from March 5, 2007

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG5EEwx1Lvo