When to install a nestbox camera? (1 Viewer)

Hi
We have 2 bird box cameras ready to install into our bird boxes. When is the best time to install them without disturbing things?
At first we thought about now but there is a blue tit who is popping in and out of one quite regularly, and in the other one a great tit is showing interest.
If we install now anyway will it scare them off? We wanted them in before the nesting season starts.
thanks
chris

Hi Chris

You could install them now - birds use nest boxes to roost in through the winter; sometimes there can be a lot of birds in one - I seem to remember hearing that over 20 wrens had been seen in one!! So it could be really interesting.

Hi Chris you could install now, but check first to see if the cams are up to been out all winter, as some fog up, and get spoiled, if not you could install in spring say bigging march before breeding starts.

delia todd said:

... I seem to remember hearing that over 20 wrens had been seen in one!! So it could be really interesting.

Click to expand...

The BTO give the highest count as 63, cosy. My personal record is 16 Wrens in a single nestbox.

Now is a good time to fit your cameras, with that caveat to check they are sufficiently weatherproof. Also a good time to move and/or put up new boxes. RSPB has advice on siting for anyone else reading this.

Having recently cleaned out my nestboxes I loosely filled them with clean dry Hay to add some insulation for the winter roosters. I've done this for years, occassionally the Hay gets thrown out, but usually it's still there when I do the pre-Spring clean.