Nestbox Time
We are trying out a nest-box with a video camera inside. We have lots of birds in our garden and encourage them with nesting boxes. Julie wanted to add another nest box so asked for a nesting box for Christmas. Just a simple wooden box was what she had in mind.
To her surprise our daughter bought one with a tiny video camera in it. It has infra-red night vision and a microphone.
The camera has an electrical lead to it from our shed to power the camera. The camera transmits a signal which is picked up by a tiny receiver inside our house. The receiver connects to our television but it could have been to a computer screen. We look forward to watching the birds in the nest.
Every few days we look to see the action. SO FAR NOTHING. But most birds don’t start building nests until March, so we remain hopeful. That’s not the actual colour of the nestbox, just how it comes out on the TV screen.
The Bird Nesting Season is officially from February until August though some birds start nesting or looking for nesting sites before this and some go on beyond August. Hedge cutting should not be carried out during the nesting season
So there’s still time to put up a nest box and it can be just a simple box with a hole in it.
Amazon sell a range of ordinary bird boxes and ones with cameras. If you click the Amazon link you can explore the range they offer.
Siting of nest boxes
We have read that nest boxes shouldn’t get too much sun or rain so north and east walls are favoured. Even so, we certainly had success with a box on a west facing wall at our previous home. Boxes need to be out of the reach of squirrels and cats, and have an unobstructed flight path to the box.
About the nesting habits of birds
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2019/01/when-do-birds-nest/
RSPB How to build a bird box
https://www.rspb.org.uk/fun-and-learning/for-families/family-wild-challenge/activities/build-a-birdbox/
Have you had success with a camera in a nest box? Do you have any tips?
David Roberts
4 March 2021
