Black Cat Island Cam

[Gatto Nero]

The Black Cat Island Cam is back up and running again. Sorry for the down time.

http://home.comcast.net/~ebizboy/BlackCatIslandCam.html

[Island Girl]

Managing a webcam... especially when one is not near it all of the time is difficult... Rarely are all of the webcams that I monitor up all of the time.

Island Cams are particularly vulnerable with power outs, access, etc.

Thanks for your devotion!!

IG

[Gatto Nero]

In order to make it a little easier to navigate to the Black Cat Island Cam I have purchased the domain name blackcatcam.com.

http://www.blackcatcam.com/

[CanisLupusArctos]

Thanks for the update. I will change the link from the WeatherCam site.

[Gatto Nero]

Black Cat Cam is back up and running.

http://www.blackcatcam.com/

Sorry for the down time.

[Gatto Nero]

Can anybody tell me what kind of birds are in the attached picture? One of them seems to have taken up residence on the post on the end of the dock. He is there most early mornings and for hours in the late afternoon. http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=12754&size=big&cat=&ppuser=1421

[Pepper]

Gatto Nero - for some reason I get the little "x" in your post, instead of the picture. :( I'd love to help identify the bird, though! Can you give a description?

UPDATE: I found the photo in the photopost section. I believe, based upon "shape" that they are herons. Not certain, and will try to catch them "live" on the cam to see if I can make a better guess.

[CanisLupusArctos]

My guess is that the birds on your dock are cormorants. I see them all the time on the reef (Black Cat Shoals) when it's above water. It gets completely submerged at full lake level which is why they're probably hanging out in other places for now.

This photo is from the information page on the WeatherCam. Since I labeled it 'Cormorants,' anyone please let me know if I'm wrong, if you are a bird expert and you know for sure.

[Pepper]

Yep! Those are Cormorants for sure. Good call! ;)

GattoNero - better get the hose ready ... those are REALLY messy birds. :(

[Gatto Nero]

Yep! Those are Cormorants for sure. Good call! ;)

GattoNero - better get the hose ready ... those are REALLY messy birds. :(

So I've noticed. It appears that they had been there for quite a while before I put the dock down. I just put the rest of the dock together and got out there to take a look. It took me about an hour with a scrub to clean it up. They're not on any endangered species list, are they? :devil:

The good news is I've been here all week and I haven't seen them live once. Maybe they don't like company.

[Pepper]

... Maybe they don't like company.

As a general rule they prefer to be way out in the open - places such as the shoals. Since the shoals are now under water, they're seeking alternatives. Your presence has most likely kept them from hanging out on your dock, but who knows what'll happen when you're not around. Maybe a scarecrow sitting in a chair at the end of the dock would be a good deterrant, not to mention a hoot for those of us watching the webcams! :coolsm:

Good luck! {you might need it!}

[CanisLupusArctos]

The US Fish and Wildlife Service has some info on cormorants. Pretty interesting.

Pepper is right, once the lake level drops below full again, you'll see those cormorants park themselves out at the shoals again, along with the seagulls. As far as getting rid of any kind of bird on the property, I have noticed that whenever the Black Cat area's resident bald eagle comes around, he scares the other birds away. He really seems to enjoy it, too... often doing it for no apparent reason, on a fly-by. With a wingspan around 4 or 5 feet (from what I've seen of him) most other birds in this area are half his size at best. So if you find a way to attract bald eagles, that could be the answer to any problem you have with any other bird!:laugh:

Here's the link to USF&W Cormorants page:
http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/issues/cormorant/greatlakes_facts.htm

[Gatto Nero]

I took the cam down for a while but I just put it back up this afternoon, just in time for ice out.

[Island Girl]

I need the URL for the Ice-In page.

IG