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Educational wildlife cameras are a large part of Olympia Systems, Inc. work. As a result, we were looking for an easy to use DVR to archive and transmit video from both fixed locations as well as mobile and underwater sites. In 2006 we visited ISC West and found AverMedia more than willing to help us out. The demo shown to us was presented by the president himself and proved to meet all of our needs, with the exception of FTP(ing) to websites. With the help from TWW Systems of Olympia and AverMedia's technical support, the FTP is now working with a 15 second refresh, sending pictures to Washington's WildWatch site.(Olympia Systems has worked very closely with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for a number of years now and credits Chuck Gibilisco, a wildlife biologist and his associates for spreading their passion about wildlife interests, education and conservation.) Now, instead of just watching 'still' pictures, the wildlife biologists can review what just happened at the nesting/wildlife site to expand their studies.

The mobile application, AverMedia's unit was chosen for it's size and small voltage requirements as the site is located  5 miles from any power sources. This system is powered  by solar and wind which Olympia Systems designed and assembled. The mobile trailer that it is housed on was refurbished by a number of individuals between Tacoma Utilities and the Army Corps of Engineers. This system is currently used to watch the current endangered loon species and is monitored by Washington State's Department of Fish and Wildlife Biologists who want  to know what is preying upon eggs and hatched chicks at the nesting site.

Also, underwater divers spend a lot of time sending pictures to the surface so that facility managers can see what repairs are needed. We were contacted by NAT, (Nisqually Aquatic Technologies) to set up a working live dive system that can be seen over the Internet. After extensive hours of research and development,  we created a rugged system to keep an eye on the dive site as well as see and communicate directly with the diver. This provides immediate and direct communication/viewing to the client to authorize repairs, saving money by not waiting for film to be developed, a return visit to the site or community water tanks to needlessly empty their water tanks for repairs.
It is a snap for divers to operate and it has worked as a 1-button-solution for sending video out without having to waste time. Because NAT believes in education and helping others to be better stewards of the oceans, they agreed to do a live dive video to include sound which was transmitted to collages and schools around WA state thru a web site called, www.critterzoom.com  started by ART BACON at
www.onenetplace.net and Olympia Systems, Inc. Students were invited to ask questions and the instructors typed them to the biologist for response, all while the diver was in the water... a great show and tell!
At this time we are looking for funding to continue live events for classroom viewing we are talking to company's to see if they are interested in supporting this kind of live education.
If you are interested please contact Phillip Turner olympiasystems@gmail.com or Art Bacon at abacon@onenetplace.com

Turtle Cam/Wildlife pond

Western Pond Turtle, Beaver Dam, wood ducks and several

floating trees for turtle perches and basking.

Location

South Tacoma Wildlife Area in Lakewood.

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Peregrine falcon nest

Peregrine falcon nest, Hawks, Eagles

Location

Snoqualmie Falls

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60+Vaux Swift

Location

Elementary School, in Monroe, WA.

Oak Creek Elk / wildlife area

Elk, Wolf Coyote, Bear, Hawks, Cougar

Location

Oak Creek / Highway 12

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Wolf Haven

Wolf /Coyote

Location

Wolf Haven Tenino WA
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Owl Camera

Location Orting Wa
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 Burring Owl Camera

 

Eastern Wa

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Nisqually Reach Nature Center  

January Wetlands are fully flooded with seasonal rain. Waterfowl are abundant. Peak of chum salmon in Nisqually River. Bald eagles forage on chum salmon along river and on the delta. Dike Trail re-opens at end of waterfowl hunting season.
	February Best time to observe sea ducks and black brant on Nisqually Reach. Waterfowl fatten up before migrating north. Pacific treefrogs start chorusing. Nisqually NWR was established in February 1974 - Happy Birthday!
March Bald eagles begin nesting. Best time to see and hear spring migrant birds. Early flowering salmonberry and Indian-plum provide nectar for returning rufus hummingbirds. President Theodore Roosevelt established the National Wildlife Refuge System in March 1903 with Pelican Island NWR in Florida.
	April Bald eagle pair incubates eggs this month and chicks usually hatch late in April. Late April and early May bring flocks of approx. 5,000 western sandpipers and dunlin to forage on delta mudflats during northward migration. Air is sweet with flowering shrubs and trees. Insects attracted to new leaves are plentiful food for songbirds.
May Wet and cloudy season gives way to occasionally clear days. Ground nesting birds under way. Bird songs fill the air. International Migratory Bird Day is the 2nd Saturday in May. Weekend Nature Programs begin in May.
	June Dry, sunny seasonal weather. Chinook salmon move up the Nisqually River to spawn in tributaries until September. Songbirds are feeding their young. Weekend Nature Programs continue.
July Juvenile eagles flying and foraging on the Refuge. Wildlife consumes abundant fruit on native woodland and forest shrubs. Summer Lecture Series begins. Weekend Nature Programs continue.
	August Mowing of grasslands and irrigation of seasonal wetlands provides important habitat for wintering waterfowl. Shorebirds migrate southward, stopping briefly to feed out on Refuge mudflats. Summer Lecture Series continues. Weekend Nature Programs continue.
September Drizzle and rain begins the wet season: fall, winter, and spring. Migrating waterfowl begin to arrive. Come check out the Nisqually Watershed Festival. Weekend Nature Programs continue.
	October Waterfowl numbers increasing. Wintering songbirds start arriving (Northern shrike, winter wren, ruby-crowned kinglet, golden-crowned kinglet, varied thrush, yellow-rumped warbler, and sparrows). Peregrine falcons, merlins, and American kestrels arrive to forage on wintering birds. Bald eagles hunt waterfowl flocks. National Wildlife Refuge System Week is the 2nd week in October. Waterfowl hunting season begins and the Dike Trail is partially closed until late January.
November Abundant waterfowl. Chum salmon return to spawning grounds in Nisqually River tributaries. Raptors increasingly abundant throughout the winter.
	December Approx. 4,000-6,000 wintering geese and waterfowl can be seen in seasonal wetlands, pastures, and estuary habitats. Earthy, sweet smell of the Pacific Northwest permeates the air.