For the last year or so, I have been working on a very exciting project. You will have seen some of the feeding stations I have been setting up in a variety of different locations and the small camera system I am using to monitor them. It is called Birdsy and, if you are keen on monitoring the wildlife in your garden, then you might be interested! We are looking for some keen wildlife enthusiasts to test and trail the system to help us further develop it.
BE AN EARLY BIRDSY!
For a limited period, we will be GIVING AWAY SOME BIRDSY CAMERAS FREE!!
Read on and, if you have a great feeding station and you are active on social media, then you can apply via the Birdsy website.
This camera and software has been developed by Zet, Oleg and Max, who are the co-founders of Birdsy. They have worked together before. Back in 2012 their video platform for gamers, ‘own3D’, reached 15 million monthly unique viewers. Today their focus is to connect young and old with the real world around them and to change how we watch wildlife. They have used their combined skills and software knowledge to create this very exciting project and I have been working with them to help them with this.
So, what is BIRDSY?
To try to explain, I created this video using some of the footage I have captured. Thank you to my son, Cameron, who put it all together for me!
I will be writing a lot more about the project, how it works and how best to set it all up over the coming weeks, but briefly, this is what it is all about!
Would a BIRDSY camera work for you?
You need:
An Internet connection and router (the faster the better, but I have set up system on Internet connections of 4.5mb/s)
Access to power as the camera needs power. I have used 30m thin power cable extensions that are thin enough to run under a door or through a window if there is no easy power source in the garden.
Access to an iPhone or iPad for initial set up (until the Android app is available) Once initial set-up is complete, you can access the camera and videos on any device.
A feeding station where a camera can be mounted about 30cm away.
What does it do?
The Birdsy kit consists of a small camera that works in conjunction with some clever software. It is designed to be set up in front of your bird table or a bird feeder.mIt works best if the feeder does not swing around and if the camera is close. #gallery-21354-5 { margin: auto; } #gallery-21354-5 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 50%; } #gallery-21354-5 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-21354-5 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
The software connects to the camera and then ‘watches’ your feeders. When a bird is detected, the software records a video and identifies the visitor, using Artificial Intelligence (AI). You can access your camera, live, and also see all the videos it has recorded. It will also keep a log of all the species that you have visiting. #gallery-21354-6 { margin: auto; } #gallery-21354-6 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 50%; } #gallery-21354-6 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-21354-6 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
Is it difficult to set up?
The camera is set up quickly and easily. Using an iPad or iPhone (Android coming soon!) , download the Birdsy app for free. Then simply go to www.birdsy.com and sign up , creating a username and a password.
The camera comes with a network cable. Take that cable and connect one end to the camera and plug the other end into your home router. Plug the camera into power. Making sure your device is connected to the same wifi as your camera is plugged into, simply open the app and log in with the username and password you have set up. The app will search for your camera and locate it. Select it and it will connect. Follow the instructions and, once complete, you are ready to go!
Unplugging the camera from the router, you can now set it up at your feeder. It has a little antennae that you screw in and it will then pick up the wifi from your router. Your camera will start ‘watching’ your feeders straight away!
How do I see the footage?
You can watch the footage from the app (on a phone or a ipad) or via your laptop or computer. You will be able to watch your camera ,live or you can see all the videos it has recorded. The video clips will tell you what species have visited. You can click on them to see them and you can also favourite them and download them. The software will also keep a record of all the species that have been recorded. #gallery-21354-7 { margin: auto; } #gallery-21354-7 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 50%; } #gallery-21354-7 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-21354-7 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
The camera records in HD, but can be set at a lower resolution if your Internet is not very fast. Here are a selection of clips captured, showing the quality of the captures.
Are you interested?
If you would like to be one of our Early Birdsy candidates, then visit the website and apply by following the green box link! Good luck!
