The Internet has introduced many curious web surfers to information and activities they might otherwise never have discovered. One of the more satisfying cyberspace tours a seasoned or budding naturalist can take is of wildlife recorded by remotely operated cameras trained on a nest, den, island or other spot where it's tough to observe wildlife.

These cameras also provide unique viewing opportunities without intruding on the animal's habitat. Across the country, increasing numbers of companies, often utilities, find that training cameras on eagles and falcons that nest at their facilities produces feel-good publicity and encourages an appreciation of wildlife and its protection.

One of the better known companies to set up a critter cam is Eastman Kodak. A nesting pair of Peregrine falcons situated on a ledge of the tower in Kodak's State Street headquarters building has held hundreds of thousands of Web surfers enthralled since the camera was first installed in 1998. Viewers every year since have watched as the same breeding pair of falcons return each year to raise another brood of chicks.

The falcons have already returned this year, despite the harsh spring weather, and will be on view again for the 2001 breeding season. Meanwhile, a history of the Kodak falcons, the birdcam and a gallery of sights and sounds from last year's nest is available on the Website: www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/features/birdcam2000/.

An older Peregrine falcon project, in operation since 1989, is sponsored by the Raptor Research Project. Several of this year's brooding birds have arrived but the cameras are not turned on yet. But there are plenty of scenes of last year's brood plus links to other sites showing raptor nests. Keep checking back for new video at www.salamander.com/~rrp/

For some reason, birds of prey seem to be the most popular critter cam subjects. Perhaps it's because their remote and hard to reach nesting sites are so seldom observed. Surely no better site for a stationary camera could be found. Adult birds fly in and out of the nest many times a day to feed the stay-at-home chicks. It's a perfect format for this real life "survivor" TV.

Two bald eagle sites worth viewing include http://home.gci.net/~bluffcam/showing a nest in Alaska, near the Chugach Mountains overlooking Cook Inlet. Last year, the first eggs were laid on March 29. So far this year, no eggs have been laid but it could happen any day. The camera is on.

Also check out www.nu.com/eagles/, watching a nest on an island in the Connecticut River in Massachusetts which was featured on a recent NBC news report about the difficulties wildlife has had this year due to bad weather.

Since early March, this pair of bald eagles has been tending three eggs despite record-breaking snowstorms and other harsh weather. There is some question whether or not the eggs will hatch because of the difficulty the eagles have had keeping them properly incubated.