Live stream cameras Spring / Summer 2012
This year is the most ambitious yet in terms of the cameras I have set up in my garden. I have tried to achieve a wide variety of cameras to capture footage of both birds and mammal visitors. All these cameras can be live streamed on my website .
Nest Boxes Cameras
I have set up a variety of nest boxes this year. The boxes shown here are wired back to my office PC so they can be live streamed. I also have about more that are 'camera-ready' meaning that I can easily drop a cam in or nearby if something begins to nest. Some of these are on open nest boxes, that may attract robin or blackbirds.
Patio Nest Box
"This is a new nest box for 2012 and is providing cracking images and footage of a blue tit pair nesting. The nest box is lit by internal white LEDs, meaning the clarity from the camera is superb! I am thrilled with the images from this great nest box kit."
(Wildlife Windows nest box with high res cam and internal illumination)
Plum Tree Box
(HandyKam nest box with high res 540 line cam)
"This is a great box and camera combination which gave me excellent footage last year. I have blue tits looking in it already and a Nature Counter on the front helps me keep track of visits."
Side Box
(Gardenature nest box with high res cam)
"This is great nest box gives a different 'side' view on the nest and I had some super shots of a great tit family in here last season. I have lined this nest box with bark to give a more interesting internal view."
APRIL UPDATE: The blue tits are laying!
APRIL UPDATE: The blue tits have started nesting
APRIL UPDATE: The great tits are laying
Discovery Box
(Gardenature nest box with high res cam)
"I have moved this nest box from its position last year, as it was in a rather shady spot within some ivy. Within a day of moving it onto this oak tree, the blue tits were looking in!"
Ivy Bank Nest Box
(Adapted HandyKam nest box with high res cam)
"This is the same as the Plum Tree nest box by HandyKam and I have adapted it slightly. Adding a small box on the back has enabled me to lower the camera down to nest level and I hope this will give a more intimate view of the nest. I lined the box with bark for a natural look to the image. I have had a great tit roosting in here since I put it up in January."
Terrace Box
(Adapted ArkWildlife nest box with Gardenature high res cam)
"I took this Ark Wildlife Sparrow Terrace nest box and adapted the inside to house a cam low down, at nest level. I lined the box with bark to try and create a natural looking interior. This box is on another oak tree, further up my garden."
Kestrel Box
(Riverside Woodcraft nest box with HandyKam 540 line high res cam)
"This kestrel nest box was put up in Feb 2011 and attracted a pair of kestresl who very nearly bred there. I am hoping they will return this year!"
Cams on nests
I am always keeping an eye out for birds that start nesting within reach of a wired camera! It is essential to carefully assess the situation and I always put the welfare of the nesting bird first. If I do not feel I can position a cam without any disruption, then I will not attempt to do so. If the birds are just starting the nesting process, then they are away from the site for periods of time. I set up a cam away from the site, having calclated the focal distance and the positioning. I am able to quickly postion the small nest box-type cam when the bird is not there, and, if sensibly positioned, the bird will return and show no signs of noticing the camera.
UPDATE: Sadly, my long tailed tits changed their mind, dismantled the nest and disappeared to build elsewhere.
Long tailed tit's nest
"After watching a pair of long tailed tits for a while, I discovered their nest in a huge bramble bush. I managed to get a small camera on it and I am hoping for some footage of these beautiful birds raising a family!"
UPDATE: One of the three eggs hatched and the chick is doing well!
Blackbird's nest
"This female blackbird has built her nest in the ivy hanging from the side of my garage port. Although a rather shady place for good camera images, this nesting site is pretty safe from the magpies that destroyed two of my blackbird nests last year".
Bird Feeders Cameras
I feed the birds all year round in my garden and I have seen over 40 species here. I have a variety of different feeders that live stream. These are positioned in different parts of the garden and provide different food stuffs in order to attract the maximum number of species.
Sunflower Heart and Twister Feeder
(Nature's Feast feeders with HandyKam high res 540 line cam)
" I have loads of different feeders in the garden. At present, my live stream is on two from Nature's Feast. These feeders attract the maximum number of different species, making it good viewing on my live cameras. Watch out for the bullfinches....."
Log Feeder
(with Gardenature high res cam)
" I designed and made this feeder and it gives excellent views of the great spotted woodpecker and the nuthatch who are regular visitors."
Sieve Feeder
(with HandyKam high res 540 line cam)
" I designed and made this feeder out of three small tea stariner-sized sieves from Wilkinsons.It attracts all sorts of visitors and gives excellent. eye-level views of the birds. I have now developed this to 4 sieves, protected by 2 hanging basket cages."
Hedgecam Feeder
(with HandyKam high res 540 line cam)
" Set on top of a hedge that is level almost with my office window, this open feeding platform attracts some of the species that are more nervous of coming down into the garden. Wood mice visit here at night as well"
Mammal Feeders Cameras
I attract lots of mammals to my garden through different feeding stations, that I have designed and built. These cameras provide great interesting and addictive viewing.
Clay Cavern
(Home-made with Gardenature black & white 380 line cam)
" This has to be one of my favourite of all the cams I have designed and made as the footage it captures is unique..... interactions between voles, shrews, wood mice and even a house mouse, it provides addictive viewing both day and night. Footage from this cam was featured on the last Autumnwatch programme and inspired this year's Springwatch Mammal Stump"
Squirrel 'Nut House' Feeder
(Home-made with Gardenature high res cam with fish-eye lens)
" This feeder was built to try to convince the squirrels to feed at their own feeder, rather than from my bird feeders. It has worked brilliantly and the fish-eye lens on the camera, that is inside the jar, gives great views of the feeding squirrel!"
Hedgehog Box
(Riverside woodcraft box with Gardenature high res cam)
" I set this hedgehog box up as a hedgehog feeding station in 2011 and was delight to attract at least 4 different hedghogs. I have regular visitors in here and in 'Prickly Diner' ... an 'alfesco' feeding station close to this one."
The Studio
(Made by a friend with a HandyKam Owl & hawk camera)
" This is the lastest of my nest boxes, built by a friend from plans that came from the USA! After much fiddling with cams and cabling, this box is now live and I have already had my first visitors!"
APRIL UPDATE: Jackdaws nested here!
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