Osprey Cam Season Ends

A storm on August 21, 2004 damaged a number of components of the osprey cam setup. After extensive diagnosis and repairs, we have determined that the system cannot be brought back on the air without accessing the camera itself. This, of course, we cannot do until after the birds have departed.

At first it was believed that only the cable modem, network router, ethernet card and camera power supply were damaged. These are items that can be addressed without disturbing the nest. A new cable modem was obtained from CableVision, a spare network router was installed and a new network card was purchased and installed over the next several days. Once these components were in place, the computer that serves the video transmission was again on the Internet. The camera power supply needed parts. These took a little longer to obtain, but the power supply was repaired and appeared to be working properly. Unfortunately, when the power supply was connected to the cable running to the camera at the nest, the camera did not come on. Braving the mosquitoes at the base of the nest, it was determined that the final problem is within the camera housing at the top of the pole. Further diagnostics and repairs cannot be done until the camera is retrieved from the nest site

So, our Osprey Cam season has come to a premature close. Fortunately, this is coming at a time when most of the critical activities at the nest are complete. Eyewitnesses tell us that the young birds are now spending less and less time on the nest, and they have become expert fliers. Soon they will leave the nest for good. Later this month we will retrieve the camera and make the necessary repairs in preparation for next year’s season. In the meantime, the highlights from this past spring and summer can be seen on our video clips, and in the archived database of observations by many dedicated observers. On behalf of the Dennis Puleston Osprey Fund we would like to express our sincere thanks to all who have participated.

Tom Ludlam and Tom Throwe

for the DPOF