[Web celebrity eaglets relocate to Wildlife Center]

Web celebrity eaglets relocate to Wildlife Center

WAYNESBORO --

Ed Clark denies any notion he's been taken hostage.

Instead, the president of the Wildlife Center of Virginia said he's accepted that 150,000 people watch his every interaction with three eaglets recently rescued and moved to Waynesboro.

Through a continuous online video feed, a global group has taken interest in the well-being of the fuzz-ball birds and raised thousands of dollars for their care.

For months, the Norfolk Botanical Garden used a camera to broadcast the hatching of the eaglets. The birds, including mother and father, became Web celebrities. At any given hour, at least 2,000 people watched the eagles and typed live comments into a chat room.

So when the wheels of a U.S. Airways jet struck and killed the mother, the online fans "erupted," Clark said.

The outpouring of grief and support led to a memorial service for the female bird in Norfolk. More than 100 people attended, including a Native American drum group.

With the fan base mobilized, attention turned to the eaglets, which naturalists determined should be moved.

"We have come to understand that they are a true force of nature, or for nature, whichever way you want to look at it," Clark said from his office this week.

The eaglets moved to the center in Waynesboro. With them came the masses, demanding a camera and constant access.

The move also sparked a fundraiser through the Chase Community of Giving project. Within a week, the eagle fund got enough votes to reach the national top-10 list for the project, earning $25,000.

On May 19, another round of voting begins with a top award of $500,000.

Anna Davis, 60, of Staunton, said she started following the birds online in March.

"Usually when I come in (to work) I'll bring up the eagle cam and make it a smaller window on the screen," Davis said. "It is very addictive."

Debbi Skluzak of Norfolk helps moderate the Wildlife Center of Virginia's online chat room. She said many people consider the online birds to be pets.

"I might have 10 cameras that are small that are all over the place on the (computer) screen," she said. "I think a lot of people would rather watch this live cam, and watch these eagles as they grow up, than watch television."

Skluzak said she's in the process of printing more than 6,000 calendars to memorialize the eaglets' killed mother.

Clark said the arrival of the eaglets to the Wildlife Center caused so much attention the organization's website crashed. Employee email accounts overloaded.

"It's a truly sincere commitment to these birds," Clark said. "It may be over the top, but it's an investment."

Clark said the online chat room and increased attention connects more people to nature in a month than the facility's traditional education programs do in a year.

"We feel an enormous amount of responsibility to keep these people," Clark said, "who are so genuinely … connected to these birds."

[Biologists are exploring the possibility of building an elevated platform near the crane to serve as a nesting spot for the migratory birds when they return in future seasons. The 10-to-20 foot structure would have a box or basket on top capable of supporting a 200-pound nest]

Ospreys on crane may get new home.

Biologists are exploring the possibility of building an elevated platform near the crane to serve as a nesting spot for the migratory birds when they return in future seasons. The 10-to-20 foot structure would have a box or basket on top capable of supporting a 200-pound nest



http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-buzz/post/ospreys_on_crane_may_get_new_home/2011/05/11/AFzcrcqG_blog.html?wprss=the-buzz

B left
Archer at 6am
at 7:14am

Looks like Rochester's weather is contagious, we're getting that horrible rain all week also.

If Unity does have off-spring I will be curious to see how all them get along if they and Beauty's off-spring end up at the gorge someday. And how is Archer going to handle training off-spring from 2 different families at the same time? He's going to be a real busy father!

Don't forget, if Unity's eggs are viable, they won't hatch until sometime in June, when A and B's kids are already learning to fly. What I'm worried about is if one of them follow Archer over to KP. You know how kids follow dad? Could be interesting and maybe dangerous.

Always 1 looking into the cammie, (hammie).

They are so precious...

Yes they are and for some reason, they are always so clean!! Like RM gives them a bath every day!

[100 MILLION VIEWERS!!!]

http://techcrunch.com/2011/05/12/nearing-100-million-views-decorah-eagles-become-the-most-watched-live-stream-ever/

100 MILLION VIEWERS!!! 


That's because they've been advertised so very well-nationally and locally.  I tell my friends about watching our Peregrines and they ask me if I'm watching the Decorah Eagles!

Oh I know that Kris, no matter who, they know about the Eagles!! Amazing how word gets around. We try.

Oh elephants are so smart and never forget. What a great story and video. I feel so bad that they are hunted just for their Tusks. Burns me!! 

Didn't Rhea Mae have a full clutch at 2 years old?   4 eggs, all hatched?

I looked at the Family history tree and in 2008, when Rhea Mae was 2, she had Lily, Belle and Unity.  How ironic is that!?  Belle is Unity's mother's name (the Unity at KP)!
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Yeah and Lily hopped a bus out of town. Why fly, when she can ride. 

I loved when the elephants came to Pete's Pond. Loved that cam. Thanks for the link!

bird crazy--i think you are right--how clever of A to lose the white
feather---now he can say "proove it's me!"

The little smart alec!!!

[100 MILLION VIEWERS!!!]

http://techcrunch.com/2011/05/12/nearing-100-million-views-decorah-eagles-become-the-most-watched-live-stream-ever/

100 MILLION VIEWERS!!! 

Didn't they say it was probably because she is young? So with Beauty no I don't think we will have that problem (except with maybe Sophie since she was laid 8 days before the others) Now with Unity I don't know. How old is she? (I forget)

Unity is 2 yrs old BC. Don't forget, Beauty was 2 yrs old also last year when she laid her 1st clutch. Guess it depends on the female.

Beauty was born in 2007 making her 3 years old last year (2010) when she had her first clutch.  In 2009, after they attacked Mariah, Beauty and Archer were believed to have a scrape on Midtown but nothing came of that (she was 2 then). This is A and B's 3rd spring together-2nd clutch.

I stand corrected! Thanks Kris, your on the ball!

Didn't they say it was probably because she is young? So with Beauty no I don't think we will have that problem (except with maybe Sophie since she was laid 8 days before the others) Now with Unity I don't know. How old is she? (I forget)

Unity is 2 yrs old BC. Don't forget, Beauty was 2 yrs old also last year when she laid her 1st clutch. Guess it depends on the female.

Archer's back and he found another white feather!!

The other pic is from last night, feather seemed to have vanished. He even looks different.