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Axis encoders help to keep a bird's eye view on breeding falcons

The second pair of breeding Peregrine Falcons to be seen in Norwich for a century is being closely monitored by the Hawk and Owl Trust thanks to video encoders from Axis Communications.

National UK Charity, The Hawk and Owl Trust is dedicated to conserving owls and other birds of prey in the wild.

When a pair of breeding Peregrine Falcons was spotted flying around Norwich Cathedral, the Trust asked the authorities if they could erect a nesting platform 250 feet up the Cathedral’s spire, with cameras to stream live video into the visitor centre should the birds decide to breed.

The Peregrine Falcon is a rare bird for Norfolk, with only one breeding pair being recorded within the last 100 years.

The Cathedral gave the Trust the go-ahead, so it started to look for a surveillance system that could deliver high quality, real-time footage.

The Hawk and Owl Trust and Cathedral authorities had to reconcile the contrasting needs of nature and architectural conservation to provide a new home for the birds with high quality, full frame rate live video streamed constantly and recorded at the Hawk and Owl Trust.

Although power was available within reach of the proposed nesting platform, there were no data connections. In order to comply with the Cathedral’s architectural conversation rules, the Hawk and Owl Trust appreciated that no additional cables could be used and so a wireless connection was needed to power the camera.

Having previously used iCode Systems’ iCatcher Console recording solution at its award winning Sculthorpe Moor Nature Reserve nearby, the Hawk and Owl Trust decided it was the perfect solution to manage the footage by taking care of the full frame rate, broadcast quality recording and remote viewing.

It also needed to select a wireless solution and camera that were compatible with the iCode system that offered high quality footage. As an Axis partner, iCode was able to recommend that a high resolution external camera should be used and converted to IP using AXIS Q7404 H.264 video encoders.

As hoped, the breeding birds moved on to the new platform. The real time access delivered by the high quality footage has given The Hawk & Owl Trust a real insight into the life of the Peregrine Falcons. In fact, the footage was of such a high quality that the local news station was able to use it to showcase the project and it has proved to be an invaluable educational tool for the Trust.

Axis video encoders convert analogue video signals into high quality, digital video streams that are sent over an IP network. They are easy to connect to analogue pan/tilt/zoom (PTZ) cameras, allowing for easy operation across the IP network making the images far easier to search through and share. The Trust then used the iCatcher Console to stream the footage wirelessly via the robust Ubiquit’s NanoStation.

Volunteers from Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service helped the Cathedral’s foreman install the platform and hardware through a window in a spire. Great care was taken to fit in with the Cathedral’s architectural style, such as having the platform painted to match its stone.

David Gittens from The Hawk and Owl Trust said: "It was vital that the footage provided by the camera was of excellent quality so that we could closely monitor and share footage of the birds."

“The nesting platform has worked as planned and the breeding pair moved to the platform, so we are delighted that we have been able to record these rare birds of prey,” said Gittens. "The real time access delivered by this high quality footage gives us a real insight into the life of these magnificent birds."

Phil Doyle, regional director, Northern Europe at Axis Communications, said: "We are so pleased that our video encoders have been a part of this exciting project and have helped the Hawk and Owl Trust learn more about Peregrine Falcons.

"In fact, footage taken from the cameras is of such a high quality that a local news station was able to use it to showcase the project. It has also proved to be an invaluable educational tool for the charity.

"This use of our encoders just goes to show that IP surveillance systems can be used for so much more than just crime prevention and security."

About Axis
Axis Communications is the global market leader in the network video market. The network camera market is set to have a CAGR of 27 per cent per year over the next five years. The world market for video surveillance products is forecast to be worth more than $14,474 million by 2014 according to industry analyst house IMS Research in its latest market report entitled 'The World Market for CCTV and Video Surveillance Equipment 2009 Edition' published in August 2009

Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/AxisIPVideo.

About Axis
Axis is an IT company offering network video solutions for professional installations. The company is the global market leader in network video, driving the ongoing shift from analogue to digital video surveillance. Axis products and solutions focus on security surveillance and remote monitoring and are based on innovative, open technology platforms. Axis is a Swedish-based company, operating worldwide with offices in more than 20 countries and cooperating with partners in more than 70 countries. Founded in 1984, Axis is listed on the NASDAQ OMX Stockholm Exchange under the ticker AXIS.

For more information about Axis, please visit our website at http://www.axis.com