Birds

Many birds nest in May in the Northern Hemisphere, so it’s a good time for webcams. Here are five that provided great viewing on May 7, 2008:

Peregrine Falcons (Hamilton Community Peregrine Project):

A pair of Peregrine Falcons, dubbed Madame X and Surge, are nesting on the Sheraton Hamilton Hotel in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Both birds are banded and some of their history is known (the information on the page is worth reading). Monitors have been watching them since early March and the webcam, which refreshes every ten seconds, provides a clear view of the scrape. The first egg hatched on May 6.

Bald Eagles (Xcel Energy): This streaming video webcam looks straight down into a Bald Eagle nest in Platteville Colorado, US. There are three nestlings (two is the norm) and it’s easy to see them moving about as the adults come and go.

Great Blue Heron (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Kids in the Nest, and Olympia Systems): My personal favorite from April’s webcams, this streaming video cam is superb. The three chicks are active and growing fast.

Barn Owls (Wirral’s Barn Owl Webcam): This site provides four views of a Barn Owl nest in Wirral Country Park, UK. The pictures refresh every five minutes. (Hint: the four cam views open in separate windows so you can have them all open at once to see the present scene from all perspectives.) For past views, click the “Diary of a Barn Owl” link.

A Birdfeeder in Oklahoma (Pat’s Backyard Bird Cam): Watch feeder birds in Oklahoma City. There are two cameras which refresh every 15 – 20 seconds and at certain times of day there’s lots of activity. Click on the “Bird Visitors” link for pictures of birds you’re likely to see.