Canadian Press
Published: Tuesday, May 09, 2006

HORNBY ISLAND - A new eagle nest near Victoria is expected to relieve the broken hearts of millions of Internet surfers who helplessly watched two eagles on Hornby Island fail in their attempt to raise a family.

An Internet connection linked to the suburban Victoria nest was expected to start broadcasting new nest images of one and perhaps two newborn eagle chicks by today.

"It looks like it will be ready by this afternoon," Arthur Griffiths, Infotec Business Systems spokesman, said Monday. "We know there's at least one or possible two existing eaglets in the nest right now."

The Vancouver-based company helped retired accountant Doug Carrick reach millions of Internet viewers by providing the technology to link his backyard eagle nest project on Hornby Island to a worldwide audience.

Carrick set up a webcam just above the eagle nest in his backyard. The webcam allowed him to watch on television as the eagles, who have been returning to the same nest for 17 years, prepared the nest for the newborns.

Eagle biologist David Hancock and Infotec turned the nest camera experiment into an instant hit, with millions eagerly awaiting the births that never came.