LIVE PONDCAM

I initially set up a live camera so I could watch for the arrival of a heron while I was working at my desk. However, I enjoyed the heron and wasn't sure quite what to do about it when it did arrive. For a while, I tried to offer the heron an alternative to the fish. I tried wieners and some frozen smelt that I defrosted. I tossed these delicacies towards the bird but it never took the bait. Since the 2nd year, I believe that the original heron has not returned, as the recent birds are much more easily spooked. You can't approach them at all and they take off with any movement.

In any case, I've set up the camera so I can log into it from anywhere, so I can check on the pond even when I'm not here.

If you're interested, you can have a look for yourself. Point your browser to the camera address which is 142.46.41.12. Then you get a login prompt and you can log in with the User ID: heron1, PW: heron1.

When you log in to the camera it takes a snapshot and everytime you refresh the page, it takes another snapshot. I like to open a new tab every day and take a new picture. Then after a week or so, I can click on the first picture and the last one and see how the pond and surrounding greenery has changed in that time. It's surprising how much can change in a short time.

If you click on the Java button on the camera page, you get a live video feed. This is interesting as you can sometimes see fish swiming, trees moving in the wind, and sometimes even people moving around! If you do this, please remember to press the HOME button when you're done so you don't leave the live feed connected to your computer too long. This soaks up big bandwidth at your end and mine and if everyone did that it would prevent others logging in (me too) and I would have to disconnect the camera.

Hope you enjoy the visit. Here are a couple of contrasting pictures, one in April and one more recently in May.
Too bad the camera doesn't let us smell the lilacs in the 2nd picture! Maybe one day ..



Pond in April


Pond in May