Connie was one of the first people to sign up to volunteer with the Dulles Greenway Eagle Cam program when it started in the fall of 2021. Although Connie now resides in Florida, she lived in Loudoun County for years and was very excited when she heard about our Eagle Cam program. Since the program is an all-remote volunteer opportunity, that meant she could still enjoy the scenery and wildlife of Virginia from her home in Florida.
As a remote camera operator with the program, Connie says:
I have really enjoyed seeing Martin & Rosa at and around their nest, and watching their eaglets grow up. As well as the wildlife, Goose Creek, and the beautiful farmlands and foothills that surround the Leesburg area. Looking into the Eagles world from a cam is the best seat in the house. It is such a privilege to get a glimpse into their lives up close. We get to see successful times, and yes, even the hardships Eagles have to encounter living their lives in the wild.
She also assists the program by participating in live chat sessions with nest fans and classrooms throughout the country.
Connie Walsh on Least Tern nest duty at Ft. DeSoto.
Photo by Lorraine Margeson
Connie retired and moved to Florida five years ago to be at her “happy place out on the sugar sand beaches and watching sunsets at the beautiful Gulf of Mexico.” She soon learned she admired all the shorebirds at the beach and began photographing them. While pursuing this interest, Connie met many people dedicated to the preservation, protection, education, and rescuing of shorebirds and wildlife.
Along with other volunteering, each fall, Connie volunteers with Florida Audubon’s EagleWatch program with over 1,200 nests in Florida that are monitored from the ground. Connie monitors two nests, one in a tree and the other on a cell tower. Florida’s eagles are currently sitting on their nests incubating eggs. Connie is looking forward to soon seeing those fuzzy eaglets peek over the top of their nest. Here in Virginia, the eagles do not usually lay eggs until February, with eggs hatching in March.
Join us in thanking Connie for her passion and dedication to the Dulles Greenway Eagle Cam program throughout the year.