McKenzie Seeds - 2012 / Brooklyn & Hurricane

[Leana]

And just for the record (another 2 cents?), I wasn't complaining AT ALL, I was just offering up an idea which might help appease the situation next year.  I was trying to point out that there weren't many volunteers (really one ONE special one who controls the cameras  ) and that that person had other responsibilities and couldn't be monitoring it 24/7.  

I agree totally with Susha.  Any sight of the juvies is an enjoyable sight.  Plus with my freeze and fast forward viewing, it really isn't worth complaining about since it is difficult to watch for long anyway.

Sorry for any misunderstanding my original post caused.  

[The Peregrine Chick]

Maybe it would be best to turn off the cameras as soon as the chicks get out of the nestbox - whichever nestbox is used since only closeup seems to be "good enough".  Since we have left the cam on at the Radisson, seemed only right to leave them on in Brandon. 

I did not ask for a close up. I asked for a larger area to be shown because the chicks don't stay in the area for long unless they are sleeping.  And I know the lighting on the roof for the most part is not good and you can't please everybody.

You are quite right RCF - perhaps the best thing to do is have a wide view of the parts of the roof they use most so folks can see where they are when they move - and that would certainly solve the problem of when the chicks move.  Certainly would free us up from trying to hunt up the chicks.

And who knows what next year will bring?  Maybe next year we won't have to "move" the cams at all and the chicks will stay in the wall nestbox.  Or if construction is on the roof, it maybe that we have to set up a different system if we can only use the roof box and not the wall box or vice versa.  Or maybe we can't improve the internet speed from Brandon which not only causes the image to stutter on the CBC side but makes it terribly difficult for us to actually manipulate the camera remotely since the cam software is actually hampered more by the connection than when the image has been buffered and streamed through the CBC equipment.  We don't have as responsive or refined a control of the camera as a result so we try to not move it often or rely on being able to refine the views much.

The chicks are days away from taking their first flights and the Radisson birds have mostly left the nestbox so the season is winding down and the cameras are going to go off soon enough.   And then we will pack up all the equipment and next year start all over again and we'll hopefully find a compromise between what we can do and what viewers want.

[RCF]

Maybe it would be best to turn off the cameras as soon as the chicks get out of the nestbox - whichever nestbox is used since only closeup seems to be "good enough".  Since we have left the cam on at the Radisson, seemed only right to leave them on in Brandon. 

I did not ask for a close up. I asked for a larger area to be shown because the chicks don't stay in the area for long unless they are sleeping.  And I know the lighting on the roof for the most part is not good and you can't please everybody.

[susha]

Well, I for one, am grateful for any chance to see any of the juvies once they're out of the nextbox - It's such a treat whenever one appears

[The Peregrine Chick]

Hmmm, lots of backseat camera drivers here.  Also interesting after working for four years to get the cameras up and operating here, it took one year for folks to start complaining.  Except for the internet connection this year (which we hope to improve next year) the cameras have been working well.

Maybe it would be best to turn off the cameras as soon as the chicks get out of the nestbox - whichever nestbox is used since only closeup seems to be "good enough".  Since we have left the cam on at the Radisson, seemed only right to leave them on in Brandon. 

As for controlling the camera not being a rocket science.  You are correct.  However, it is part of the security arrangements as part of the falcon cam partnership.

Do I sound a little ticked off?  Yes, I am.  We volunteer to do this, we all have day jobs and can't spend 18 hours a day watching the cameras to make sure they are perfect all the time.  We could have just had the fixed camera inside the nestbox (the one we hardly used this year) and not bothered with the remotely controlled system but we wanted to provide the best images we could.  Would certainly save the Project time and certainly wouldn't be a drain on Eye-Spy's time and/or generosity. 

[Rose]

I'm pretty sure there are only a couple volunteers who have control of the camera - TPC (obviously), Eye-Spy and possibly Dennis.  But I think TPC is the only one who ever actually moves or changes the camera views for us and sadly she has many other things to do besides babysit the cameras...

I personally think RCF should have control of the Brandon cams since she seems to be most involved with the chicks there and would probably do a great job of keeping track of the little speedsters.

Too late this year, but a thought for next year if the chicks get moved to the roof again.

Just my 2 cents.  

 Here's my 2 cents worth. 1 it doesn't take a rocket scientist to manipulate a camera, any one can learn the program. 2 The viewing when they are on the lower roof is at best poor(either too far away to see them properly or only a small space is covered and they move out of view quickly) 3 If they have to go down on the roof because of the research re: the survival rate of the fledgling Peregrine Falcon over the first few years of their life etc.goes on another year.Just turn the camera off completely, would save a lot of frustration and complaints.
 But if they stay in the nestbox until they fledge( which is the normal way and has been since the nest box went up over twenty years ago and according to TPC with very few problems) the camera can follow their every move,interaction between chicks and with the parents and no one has to worry about moving the camera and every one would be treated to some spectacular viewing and maybe even see them fledge.

[Leana]

I'm pretty sure there are only a couple volunteers who have control of the camera - TPC (obviously), Eye-Spy and possibly Dennis.  But I think TPC is the only one who ever actually moves or changes the camera views for us and sadly she has many other things to do besides babysit the cameras...

I personally think RCF should have control of the Brandon cams since she seems to be most involved with the chicks there and would probably do a great job of keeping track of the little speedsters.

Too late this year, but a thought for next year if the chicks get moved to the roof again.

Just my 2 cents.   

[bcbird]

Thanks, Rose and RCF, for the day count.
I was pretty sure both of you would be right on that!

[RCF]

How far away is fledging likely to be?

I would say they are close to fledge age since these chicks are around 35 days old and peregrine chicks usually fledge from 39 to 45 days old depending on gender.

[Rose]

How far away is fledging likely to be?

The chicks are 35 days old so could be fairly soon.

[bcbird]

How far away is fledging likely to be?

[Rose]

Is that 1 of the chicks I see on the webcam right now, behind the growth, in the shade?

One chick is only there momentarily he runs in and runs out but is mostly out and the cam has been in the same spot almost 24 hours and it seems only one chick likes that spot. TPC in one of her posts states that the cams are run by volunteers but I guess there aren't that many volunteers but maybe some of you Winnipeg people could volunteer to do that and other things so TPC could have a real break, she works so hard. You have probably heard Hurricane alarm calling all afternoon if you have been watching but there isn't much to see, I know it was Hurricane because I made a trip down there to check. No sign of Brooklyn.I for one will be glad when these chicks fledge and we will be able to follow them in person.

[Kinderchick]

Is that 1 of the chicks I see on the webcam right now, behind the growth, in the shade?

[RCF]

Quote from The Peregrine Chick on CBC cam page

The cameras are controlled by volunteers so when we can be online we try to keep the cameras on the chicks but we can't/don't monitor the cameras 24/7.

How many volunteers are there?     It sure would be nice if one of the volunteers would move the camera so we the viewing public could see something other than a wall, this view has been showing since around 4 or 4:30 yesterday, 22 hours ago.  After a while you get disappointed and figure there is no point in watching.  I hope when they are done their study with the transmitters they leave them in the the wall nest box because viewing was much better. I'll be glad when the chicks leave the building (fledge) so Rose and I will be able to see them.

[Pense]

The final photos of the Brandon Banding have now been loaded.

http://www.pbase.com/photosbydennis/mckenzieseeds_brandon

Great pictures Dennis!  Especially liked the last shot of the two peregrines in flight!