Thanks for all the information Burdi and I will admit that I'm not going to check out the comments until after the nesting season just because I'm on the "other" side of the equation.
Personally I think webcams have a purpose and I recognize that there is a need to keep the conversation going with fans of webcams but it is labour-intensive when it first gets started and there is a steep learning curve in terms of the relationship between the two "sides". A case in point being, that a very popular osprey (or perhaps eagle) cam decided not to continue streaming to the internet this year because they (the "other side") - biologists, partners - were getting harassed so badly by the public over what was or wasn't happening in the nest. I'm sorry I didn't make note of which cam it was, but there was a very good interview with one of the folks involved on CBC Radio just before our cam went live I believe. They (biologists) still use the cam to keep track of what is going on, but because of their public's response, it was more work/trouble than it was worth to continue sharing it publicly, which is the sad part of this. What happens to the folks who were "enjoying" watching? They have lost the opportunity now. What happens to all the folks who were harassing the staff? Do we think they have learned anything from the loss of the cam or are have they just found another cam to torture? I can't say that I heard how long they had been streaming, but I can say that it happens to every webcam to varying degrees at varying times. I think what makes our cam (and at times cams) different is that we started a long time ago and you all have "grown up" with the webcam. Or maybe it helps that we aren't as popular as others in the grand scheme of things. Whatever the reason, mostly our cam community is congenial and informed and long may that continue to be the case.
And yes, I'll see if I can't find that interview or some information about the cam in question ... its the other side of the coin, one that none of us thought would come quite so soon, but given the popularity of webcams I guess it was inevitable. The more something is "liked" it seems the faster it attracts problems.