Birdwatching Through the Internet | The Institute for Creation Research
Birdwatching Through the Internet
As ICR previously reported, more Americans are enjoying birdwatching as other recreational opportunities are reduced by pandemic politics.1 Of more importance than mere recreation, of course, birdwatching provides opportunities to admire and appreciate how God has gifted diverse birds to “be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth.”1

Recently, Great Britain has mandated strict lockdown and confinement protocols. Some residents acquired their daily Vitamin D by sitting near windows during hours when sunlight is angled for that result.2 For some, birdwatching can be done by looking through windows. Yet, for others, birdwatching is available online through video monitoring of nesting areas.

In particular, many Brits have recently enjoyed viewing the family life of ospreys.

Bird watchers have turned their eyes from the skies to the [Internet] web as the coronavirus outbreak forces more people to watch rare birds online. Rutland Water Nature Reserve closed in March [2020] to limit the spread of the disease, meaning visitors could not observe wildlife from hides [what American birders call “blinds”]. The Rutland Osprey Project said it had led to greater engagement and connection with people online.3

British birdwatchers don’t take ospreys for granted. Ospreys were extirpated (locally extinct) for about 150 years, until they were reintroduced in 1996, successfully breeding in 2001.4

As migrants, the ospreys arrive in spring, then leave in autumn for Africa, with best online viewing opportunities usually occurring in summer.3 One pair, dubbed “Maya” and “33(11),” began nesting in Rutland during 2015’s summer. This year, they returned from Africa with 23 other ospreys, a welcome increase since the humble beginnings in 1996!3

Last year [2019] saw the 150th wild chick fledge, while this spring Maya and 33(11) have had four chicks, which have been observed feeding on [freshwater] roach, trout and bream.3

The Rutland Osprey Project, run by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, protects the reintroduced birds. Webcam technology allows many to observe bird-life going about their daily lives.3,4

For stunning wildlife photography, including fish-catching, the project’s website is a goldmine.5

The amount of people watching these ospreys online is surprising.

About 45,000 people logged on the project website between 14 and 20 May [2020]—more than 10 times the total number of visitors who came to see the birds last year—with 87% of those visitors being new users. Between 1 and 21 May, the project's Facebook page also had 2,000 new followers and about 900,000 minutes of its videos were viewed. Most online visitors were from the UK, but the birds were also watched in Canada, Finland, Spain and the US.3

The website for the Rutland Osprey Project is https://www.lrwt.org.uk/wildlife/rutland
-ospreys


Scroll down the homepage to see webcam action of ospreys at Rutland Water Nature Preserve.3

Then appreciate how our amazing God has providentially designed and gifted these magnificent birds, as well as the many fish that these birds enjoy eating.7

References
1. Johnson, J. J. S. Turtles, Birdwatching, and Living Through Tough Times. Creation Science Update. Posted on ICR.org March 30, 2020, accessed June 10, 2020.
2. Telephone communication (May 29, 2020) with Dr. William R. Cooper, creation apologetics scholar (and ICR-SOBA adjunct professor), who resides in Staines, England.
3. Staff writer. 2020. Rutland osprey project grows online audience in lockdown. BBC News. Posted on ICR.org May 30, 2020, accessed June 10, 2020.
4. Staff writer. Rutland Water Osprey Project Marks 20 years. BBC News. Posted on ICR.org July 6, 2016, accessed June 10, 2020.
5. Staff writer. Bird-watchers Catch 'Thrilling' Trout-Hungry Ospreys on Camera. BBC News. Posted on bbc.com July 27, 2019, accessed June 10, 2020. This website includes magnificent action photographs of ospreys. See also the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust’s website (which features the Rutland Osprey Project), at https://www.lrwt.org.uk/wildlife/rutland
-ospreys
and scroll down the homepage, to see webcam action of Rutland Water Nature Preserve ospreys.
6. Johnson, J. J. S. 2015. Attracted by Magnets and a Bird Book. Acts & Facts. 44(8): 19.
7. See Job 12:7.

*Dr. Johnson is Associate Professor of Apologetics and Chief Academic Officer at the Institute for Creation Research.
The Latest
CREATION.LIVE PODCAST
Struck: Risking It All for the Truth | Creation.Live Podcast:...
In this unique episode, host Trey talks with three key people involved in creating Struck—an upcoming miniseries that shows the special ties between...

NEWS
Giant Ants Buried in Receding Flood Rocks
Evolutionary scientists are baffled by a large ant fossil found in British Columbia, Canada. Known as Titanomyrma, this same ant had been found previously...

CREATION PODCAST
Why Do Animals Hibernate? | The Creation Podcast: Episode 45
The word hibernation is often used in reference to deep sleep, but what is it really? What kinds of creatures hibernate? How does this demonstrate the...

NEWS
Thalattosuchians—Extinct Crocodile Relatives?
The Thalattosuchia are an extinct group of marine crocodylomorphs (a group that includes the crocodiles) that allegedly transitioned from land to water...

NEWS
The Star-Nosed Mole
The star-nosed mole (Condylura cristata) is a fascinating semi-aquatic mammal found in eastern Canada and the United States. Moles (placental mammals)...

NEWS
The Hexagon: An Indication of Order and Design in Nature
In nature, noncoincidental patterns and geometry exist everywhere. But the number six appears to overshadow nature’s mathematical landscape. Whether...

NEWS
Neanderthal Crab Bake
The evolutionary science community said it perfectly in their headlines: “Proof that Neanderthals ate crabs is another 'nail in the coffin'...

CREATION PODCAST
Is There Any Truth to Dragon Legends? | The Creation Podcast:...
Dragons are considered by many to be made-up creatures in fairytales and legends, but our ancestors produced many descriptions and depictions of "dragons,"...

NEWS
Our Sun, Finely Tuned for Life on Earth
Aside from appreciating the splendor of the sun during a beautiful sunrise or sunset, many rarely consider how special, necessary, and finely tuned...

NEWS
March 2023 ICR Wallpaper
"Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; Sing praises on the harp to our God, Who covers the heavens with clouds, Who prepares rain for the earth, Who...