Help needed for a bird box (1 Viewer)

[Chipperoo]

Hi all, I have a house and medium sized garden in St Albans in England.

I love birds and I want to get a bird box.

Ideally, I’m looking for a bird box with a camera inside so that I can see the birds coming and going and eventually some chicks.

I don’t want a wire going from the box to my house. I prefer a wireless box.

What are the best options for me as everything I see online requires a big cable going into the house.

Please can you help me?

Lots of love Chipperoo

 

[delia todd]

Hi again Chip chip aroo

Can I point you in the direction of the RSPB site: Nestboxes For The Garden - The RSPB - as you will see, they supply a range of boxes depending on the species you want to attract. They also give other advice about siting them.

It may be better to get a camera separately and you'd be better to ask in our Equipment section for advice.... they would need to know your budget: Miscellaneous Nature Study Equipment

Hope this helps.

 

[Chipperoo]

Thank you. Does anyone have any recommendations for wooden bird boxes? Ideally to attract robins.

 

[01101001]

From what I've found in the internet, robins don't nest in typical nest boxes and prefer more open ones if at all.

 

[Richard D]

Robins like nesting in cover (e.g. place an open type box in a thick climber or hedge), and relatively low off the ground - 6ft ish is about as high as you want to go. They're more easily isturbed than some species too, so place it well away from where people walk.

 

[YuShan]

Regarding not wanting a cable to the box, how are you going to power it?

I had the same questions 12 years ago. Wireless didn't make much sense to me, because of the need to have a power cable anyway. A cable that carried power + audio + video wasn't that much thicker. Despite this being older technology now (analog audio and video signal, streamed with a dongle into my computer), I'm still using that same setup today.

 

[YuShan]

Attracting Robins to a bird box with cam will be quite difficult. I would stick to Great- and Blue Tits, which will readily take your bird box.

I'm warning you though: it is seriously addictive! I spent perhaps £130 in total on my setup in 2011 and have been enjoying countless hours watching my birds, year in year out. Some of the best money I ever spent in terms of the enjoyment it offered per £! (I guess only my binoculars tops that).

 

[Chipperoo]

Thanks for all the feedback.

I was under the impression that the technology was far advanced than it actually was with regards to wireless bird boxes. I was expecting a bird box which I couldn’t connect to via WiFi without any cables.

I’m thinking of the below. Has anyone tried them?

Buy Feeder Fixer online from Living with Birds

Buy Feeder Fixer from the Feeders range at Living with Birds. Next day delivery available.

www.livingwithbirds.com

 

[CharlestonGray]

Thank you. Does anyone have any recommendations for wooden bird boxes? Ideally to attract robins.

Robbins prefer nesting platforms not traditional boxes. No matter the type of platform, location of platform, or type of food I put out, I always get Robbins. The platform just needs a floor, roof, and a single back wall.
Interior dimensions of the platform, give or take 1 inch in any direction. 8"x8" floor, 8" tall back wall, Roof shouldn't protrude about as far as the floor.
It doesn't need sides walls or a front, if you want to add some, wall can up upto 4" front can be upto 3". The smaller the front and sides are the likely you'll be to get some sort of platform nester. Nesting platforms for Robbins, Phoebes morning Doves, Blue Jays, even Cardinals are ALL more likely to attract Robbins than the species they're designed for.
Either of these styles work well

Plus If you're doing it in the cheap...With a platform, you can use just about any small USB camera plus a high mAh LIon battery pack. Maybe even a dash cam mounted a few feet away, diy canopy over to protect from water.even the cheap ones broadcast over wifi and save to SD. You can even add a solar charger to the USB battery pack... They charge too slow to supply enough power but could slow how fast you need to swap battery packs.

 

[Chairsontheroof]

Hello
I have recently set up a ‘camera ready’ bird box with wireless Blink camera.
Blink camera from
Amazon has a two year battery life and as long as is in reach of your WiFi you can view footage on the Blink app on your phone. It even has night vision.
Bird box was from Gardenature and has a removable drawer at the top for the camera to sit in and two translucent windows at the top to let in light.
In total the set up cost me approx £90 and as of yesterday we have two bluetits in residence proving the camera works brilliantly.
Hope this helps