Bird Box Camera

I recently bought and installed an infrared mini camera in one of my bird boxes.  It is about the size of an After Eight Mint.  They come from Henry's Audio.  For the last two years, there has been a family of bluetits nest in it.  I am hoping that they will do so again this year and I will be able  to watch the whole event, live on my TV or PC.

Pictures and video will be posted at regular intervals on this page.

 Henry's advert

The mini cam in my hand
The camera

The camera came as a complete kit.  It has 6 infrared LEDs and can work in normal light or the infrared.  It has 16 metres of cable and is all wired up ready to connect to a 12 volt power source and a TV or PC with a capture card.  I am arranging the set-up so that I can select where I want to view the pictures by connecting different cables.  The camera is screwed onto a piece of hardboard as a backing and then attached to the roof of the bird box.  I have adjusted the focus so that anything that visits the box should be in focus.

The mini cam in the roof of the bird box
The camera fixed inside the lid
The camera's view of the box This is the view from the camera.  In the bottom is the cannister from a 35 mm film with a 2p coin on top.  I assume that the nest will be about the height of the cannister.  There is a pen sticking in through the hole in the front, at the top of the picture.  The apparent 'light' is from the LEDs.
This picture shows the bird box in place..  The cable now goes through the window frame into the bedroom.  From there, I have other connections that go to the TV in the lounge or to one of the PCs with video capture cards.

 

This is me putting the bird box back in its original position.  The back of the bungalow faces due north toward the Preseli Hills.

 

 

 Putting the box back
On the 2nd of March, I had my first visitor to actually go inside the box.  It was sheer good fortune that I had the minicam turned on and connected to one of my computers.  I also had the camcorder trained on the outside of the box and caught all the action from the outside, too.  I have edited a short clip of the action.  The tit was only in the nest for a couple of seconds but they were very exciting ones for me!

The following day, he/she stayed for many minutes and came several times.  The video is 227k and lasts for 5 seconds.

To view the short video, click on the picture.    

Clip from First inspection video

Clip from the Tit inspection video

This is another video of a bluetit in the box.  Whilst inspecting it, another tit arrived and called.  The one inside told it, in no uncertain terms, to 'Go away!' with a shrill screech.  Once again, click on the picture.  

Having told the intruder to 'Naff off!' She was quite distressed by the visit.  In the complete video, you can see  her little heart is pounding.

The video is  426k and lasts for 13  seconds.

There has been some activity in the nest box.  A diary of events has been started.  Click on the 'Next' button To go back to the 'Choices' page, Click 'Home'