News Leak!……. To all our avid supporters over the years the Project team, now centred around Dr Cilla Kinross and the web team at CSU, will shortly be able to unveil the new FalconCam Project website. It will be based inside the CSU network but made available to the world (but don’t tell them I told you!!). More details via Cilla soon….
When the new website goes live we will retire this current website, which has served us very well over the long period from when we began in 2008 until 2022.
The two original live cameras will continue to operate through YouTube, alongside the new feeds through Cilla’s account. We will straighten out and standardise the actual streaming sources in time, in line with CSU’s requirements and infrastructure.
And just before I depart the Project I thought I’d get a few last words in before they shut me up and kick me out of the roost!!!…..
May I take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been involved in one form or another since we began the Project all those years ago.
We kicked off with valuable input & inspiration from former staff member Dr Ian Grange, who initially came to the IT department asking about the use of live cameras, and then, later on, valued for his scouting work in visiting like minds around Great Britain, once he moved back home. Ian left us just days before Migii, our first local eyas, hatched!
To Ron Green, from the Orange campus maintenance facility, who built all sorts of infrastructure and hauled it all up the 50-meter high water tower (normally by himself). And to the campus staff who helped de-construct and rebuild the jigsaw puzzle that was/is Roost v2.0, inside a lunchtime many years ago.
To the huge number of supporters from nearby, to right around the world, who have donated their hard-earned cash to help keep the voluntary Project functional and live on the Internet – we can’t thank each and every one of you enough.
To the Nature Conservation Trust, and in particular their dedicated staff members, Denise and Tiffany, who were right behind our every step. Vocal supporters and regular holders of fund-raising BBQs.
To 30 Squadron RAAF Beaufighter group who supported us financially so well in the Project’s early days; a fantastic bunch of people with more stories to tell of their inspiring wartime exploits than any amount of stories we could tell them about falcons!
To the TV and radio stations who supported the Project and made sure word (& vision) beamed out to the NSW nether regions and around Australia; in particular a big thank you to both Angela Owens and Kia Handley at ABC Central West radio!
To my colleague, Dr Cilla Kinross, for her endless energy, knowledge and enthusiasm over the years, with support at public functions such as the Field Days at Mudgee, Rotary Orange Daybreak, various fairs in and around Orange, the fundraisers, the on-campus talks etc.
I’ll bow out now, having devoted some years to witnessing these amazing birds of prey flourish on our local doorstep, and bringing their vision and lives to the rest of you. All different characters, young and old, and all VERY fast! Thank you to all for your support over the years, and may the FalconCam Project in Orange NSW endure over the next many years, providing valuable data and statistics to the global understanding of the peregrine falcon.
Scott Banks
(Cilla has my email address if anyone wanted to keep in touch)