Libby Dam Bald Eagle Nest Cam, Montana  - www.libbyeaglecam.com  

2010 Nesting Activity Archive page
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Current Image

Libby Dam Web Cam

Pictures below are from last 24 hours:
(Click thumbnails for bigger picture)   Click here for recent 2010 Activity
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2010 nesting season highlights:

Libby Eagle Cam
February 24, 2010
 

Click here for 2009-2008 photos

Editor's Note: This webpage is by LibbyMT.com and is not an official webpage of Libby Dam or for the Libby Dam Bald Eagle Cam. Click here to go to the US Army Corps of Engineers' Libby Dam web page for this bald eagle cam. This page has been created by LibbyMT.com and pictures used with permission of the US Army Corps of Engineers/Libby Dam.

2009 Nesting Season Overview: Nest tending activity occurred over January and February. The first egg was observed in the nest on March 18th. On March 25th a second egg was observed. The eagles endured repeated snowy conditions while sitting on the eggs. On April 24, two eaglets hatched. On May 16th, one of the chicks disappeared from the nest for unknown reasons. The remaining chick fledged (left the nest) in mid-July.

Libby Dam Eagle Cam: The Libby Dam eagle cam is located near Souse Gulch on the Kootenai River. This nest began in 1996 and has been active for the past 10 years. Two eggs were laid in the nest in April, 2006. Eaglets hatched in May. Both adults take turns tending the nest.

This image is updated every 2 minutes. (You may need to refresh your browser page to view the latest image). Scroll down this page for technical information about the camera set up. Look at the column to the right for historical information about the nest, eaglets and how many fledglings since 1996. In general, the nest becomes active in March and eaglets fledge in late July or early August. A breeding adult pair produces 1-2 young eaglets each year.

To see the current image from the Libby Dam Eagle Cam, which updates every 10 seconds, click on this link: http://www.nws.usace.army.mil/PublicMenu/Menu.cfm?sitename=libby&pagename=eagle_cam_main

This webcam is sponsored and maintained by the US Army Corps of Engineers Libby Dam Project. For more information about the nest, contact Alana Mesenbrink, Park Ranger/Interpretive Specialist, US Army Corps of Engineers, Phone: 406-293-7751 ext 252 or e-mail alana.f.mesenbrink@usace.army.mil.

 

Camera Equipment:
Camera: Pelco Color Surveillance Camera Windows Media Encoder: COE-COMPUTER " Osprey 100 PCI video capture card " Belkin F5U204 USB video dongle " Windows Media Encoder 9.00.00.2800 Windows Media Server: COE-COMPUTER " Windows Media Services 9.00.00.3380.

Camera Setup:
The camera is a Pelco color surveillance camera with a 2-10 mm zoom lens. It is zoomed in at about 4 mm to include the entire nest bowl. The camera and lens are housed in a Pelco sealed, weatherproof, camo painted, outdoor enclosure with heated interior. The small heater inside the enclosure keeps the lens from fogging up.

The enclosure is attached to the branch with lag bolts and is approximately 100' above the ground. The camera and heater run on 24 volts ac. There is a 120:24 volt transformer in the enclosure in which 120 vac supplies the equipment.

One power and one signal (coax) cable go down the tree to the ground. From there they go 600' underground to the Libby Dam weather station which overlooks Lake Koocanusa. At the weather station the eaglecam picture signal goes to a microwave transmitter and is transmitted about a mile, at a baud rate of 115,200 kbps, to a receiver on top of the Libby Dam Visitor Center. From that receiver a coax cable goes down into the Visitor Center ceiling. In the Visitor Center ceiling the signal is split two ways. One goes to a monitor in the Visitor Center display area where the public can view the live broadcast on a television monitor. The other way goes to the Visitor Center basement where there is a computer that broadcast it over the local area network and to the internet.

More technicall details from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Eagle Cam Camera setup

More info:
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Threatened & Endangered Species: Bald Eagles
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (Midwest Region) Bald Eagle Links

Live cam at the Libby Dam Visitor Center. Photo by LibbyMT.com.
Libby Dam. Photo by LibbyMT.com.


LibbyMT.com


Nest History:

2010:
April 22: Still 2 eggs in the nest
March 22: 2nd egg spotted in nest
March 19: 1 egg in nest
February/March 18: Nest tending...
February 24: Adult eagle observed on nest.

2009:
July ??: Chick expected to fledge the nest and go out on its own
May 16: One of the chicks died from unknown causes.
April 24: 2 eaglets observed in nest.
March 25: 2 eggs observed in snowy nest.
March 18: 1 egg observed in nest.
March 17: Eagle appears to be sitting on an egg. Weather is cold and snowy.
March 16: Adults have been tending nest and adding branches and moss for several weeks.

2008:
July 27: Chicks flying in and out of nest
May 5: 2 chicks in nest
March 24: 2nd egg observed in nest
March 19: 1 egg observed in nest

2007:
April 30: 2 eaglets in nest
July 13: 2 fledged,

2006::
March 27, 2006:
2 eaglets in nest
0 fledged

2005:
July 20, 2005:
1 eaglet fledged
March 27, 2005:
One of the eaglets died from unknown causes.*
March 22, 2005:
2 eaglets in nest

2004:
July 23, 2004:
1 eaglet fledged
March 31, 2004:
2 eaglets in nest

2003:
August 2, 2003:
1 eaglet fledged
April 21, 2003:
1 eaglet in nest

2002:
July 11, 2002:
2 eaglets fledged
March 12, 2002:
2 eaglets in nest

2001:
July 18, 2001:
2 eaglets fledged
March 21, 2001:
2 eaglets in nest

2000:
July 16, 2000:
2 eaglets fledged
March 21, 2000:
2 eaglets in nest

1999:
July 11, 1999:
2 eaglets fledged
March 21, 1999:
2 eaglets in nest

1998:
July 27, 1998:
2 eaglets fledged
April 18, 1998:
2 eaglets in nest

1997:
July 14, 1997:
2 eaglets fledged
April 3 , 1997:
2 eaglets in nest

1996:
June 23, 1996:
Nest started

*Note: It is not uncommon for eaglets to die in the early stages of development.  Death may occur from natural causes, predators, competition for food, or even Fratricide (killing of one's sibling).

Nest History
Bald Eagle Facts
(Libby Dam pages)


Libby Dam Project
Libby Dam Visitor Center
Kootenai River Drainage
Kootenai River Flows

LibbyMT.com
info pages:

Libby Dam
Lake Koocanusa
Kootenai River

LibbyMT.com • info@libbymt.com • 406-293-3608
Webcam photos by the US Army Corps of Engineers, Libby Dam.
Other photos by LibbyMT.com unless otherwise credited. Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.