Eagle Camera is Installed, Kim Halpin, 12/2007

In recent months, hundreds of refuge visitors and staff alike have been exploring nature through the lens of a camera and video screen.  These hundreds will become thousands by mid summer as more people enjoy this same opportunity.  You see, wildlife images captured by a new eagle camera have sparked a fire within each individual, renewing their affinity for bald eagles, the mesmerizing habitat in which they live, and the conservation mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

At the risk of sounding like a cliché, some echo the old familiar saying, “a picture is worth a thousand words!” 

This past December, a new video camera was installed in a pine tree, resting approximately 6 feet above an existing bald eagle nest.  Fiber optic cables connecting the camera to a television screen in the Herbert H. Bateman Educational and Administrative Center now provides hours of wildlife entertainment and education for all who take time out of their busy schedules to watch. 

Now that March has arrived, the wait is over as all three hatchlings have made their appearance.  After watching live video images, visitors are encouraged to witness the real thing in person, by taking a walk, drive, or bike ride along the Wildlife Loop Trail.  There, eager visitors with a keen eye or nifty pair of binoculars may view the adult eagles from a safe distance as they fly back and forth from the nest. 

The striking, real time images of bald eagles tending their young in the nest have left a lasting impression upon most everyone.  However, none of this would be remotely possible without the careful planning, cooperative spirit, and generous donation of funds provided by the Chincoteague Natural History Association.  Because of their dedicated efforts, hundreds of thousands of people may, once again, experience the live action of bald eagles, through the lens of a camera and a video screen.