Having said that we have fitted a camera in it and noticed that after much activity she finally laid her first egg yesterday lunchtime. When I checked later yesterday afternoon there were at least 4 eggs and maybe as many as six. She has now taken up permanent residence incubating the eggs so difficult to confirm whether there are any more eggs under her now – typically a Blue Tit will lay between 5 – 12 eggs.

Incubation will normally continue for 12-16 days before the eggs hatch and the chicks will be ready to fly within 2-3 weeks after hatching.

Stop-press – The mother to be has left the nest, and (hopefully) will return shortly. This may indicate some more eggs to come, but for now there are 8 eggs as can be seen in the photo below.

Also known as scouting or game cameras, these are specifically designed for picking up wildlife in the vicinity and key features are

• High Resolution 12 Mega Pixel Camera (5 mega pixel sensor scabale to 12Mega pixels)
• Side Prep Sensors for Incredibly Quick Trigger Speed (1 second)
• Built in TFT Screen
• Infra Red LED for night time illumination
• Motion Activated – Images or Video or Both

The camera is fairly small and is powered by 4 AA batteries, and provides colour images and video during daylight and black & white images via Infra Red LEDs at night. Images are stored on an industry standard SD card and can be transferred to a PC via a USB cable or the removable SD card.

When used with the detachable external mounting frame an additional 4 batteries can be added to extend the standby life – according to the specification the standby life with 8 batteries is six months, although in reality the working life will be much less depending on how often the camera is triggered.

I set up the camera last night on a fence post at the bottom of the garden, and set it to take a picture and video when triggered. This morning I checked o see if anything had triggered it and sure enough, just after 7am this morning the camera was triggered by a Muntjac deer as you can see from the image shown below.

Video clip of Muntjac captured on our Trail Camera

So far, so good. The Trail cam was fairly easy to setup, although the on screen menus would benefit with a little more explanation. The image quality seems pretty good, the video is perfectly acceptable. I am now keen to capture some more shots making use of the night vision capability and also to see how small or far away an animal can be and still  trigger the camera.

Hopefully more images and videos will follow…..

In a previous article http://www.birdboxcameras.co.uk/blog/2011/10/choosing-a-nest-box/, we looked at the various factors to consider when buying a nest box. In this article we will look at what you should consider when deciding which camera to buy for your nest box or feeder.

In brief you will need to consider the following factors

• Resolution of Camera
• Night vision?
• Wired vs Wireless
• Length of Cable (if wired)

The resolution of the camera is normally expressed in TVL (TV Lines) with the higher TVL giving a sharper on-screen image. Each camera will also have a pixel rating which will give the number of pixels for the sensor e.g. 500 (Horizontal) x 582 (Vertical) as well as the number of TV Lines (420TVL).

In order to provide nightvision (and low light capability) most cameras employ Infra Red LEDs. These are outside of the range of visible light but can be captured by the cameras, as it is outside the visible spectrum IR light does not disturb the occupants. It will however have an impact on the colour definition in one of two ways.

• Most cameras automatically switch to Black & White in low light conditions
• IR light can cause certain colours to appear as shades of grey, while other colours are still recognisable.

While there are wireless cameras available, and these may be suitable for some people, we currently do not stock any as we feel that for most people a wireless set-up is not suitable.

There are two main issues with wireless in our experience

• Range of wireless signal – our experience is that most wireless signals operate at a much shorter range than quoted by the manufacturers.
• Battery Life – A wireless camera still needs to be powered, in fact they will need more power than a wired camera, as in addition to operating the camer, power is also required to provide the wireless transmission.

The problem with wireless signals is that their range is reduced by many factors including thickness and construction of walls, electrical interference, water pipes, metal structures etc. This means that the effective distance you can achieve is almost impossible to predict with any certainty without an on-site wireless survey. You therefore take a chance on whether the range will be sufficient when buying a wireless camera.

To help demonstrate the difference in image quality in different conditions you can use the images below as a guide.

380TVL Camera with IR LEDs (Our Standard Camera)

380TVL camera (daylight conditions), outside a nestbox (e.g. on a feeder)

380TVL camera (daylight conditions) in a nestbox with light hole fitted

380TVL camera (daylight conditions) in a nestbox with no light hole

380TVL camera (complete darkness) in a nestbox. Lighthole is irrelevant

420TVL Camera with IR LEDs (Our Standard Plus Camera)

420TVL camera (daylight conditions), outside a nestbox (e.g. on a feeder)

420TVL camera (daylight conditions) in a nestbox with a light hole.

420TVL camera (daylight conditions) in a nestbox with no light hole

420TVL camera (complete darkness) in a nestbox. Lighthole is irrelevant

480TVL Camera without IR LEDs (Our Hi-res Daylight only camera)

480TVL camera (daylight conditions), outside a nestbox (e.g. on a feeder)

480TVL camera (daylight conditions) in a nestbox with a light hole.

480TVL camera (daylight conditions), in a nestbox with no light hole

480TVL camera (complete darkness) in a nestbox. Lighthole is irrelevant

If you have any other questions or would like more advice feel fre to leave a comment below, use the contact form on our website or you can phone on 01508 499124

Do you really want a nest box?
While you may immediately think about purchasing a nest box and camera, it isn’t your only option. Have you, for instance, considered purchasing a camera fitted to a feeder rather than a nest box? There are advantages to each which are discussed below:

Advantages of a Feeder / Camera combination

• Greater Variety of birds visiting
• Likely to be used soon after installation

Advantages of a Nest Box / Camera combination

• See nest building in action
• Experience the thrill of seeing eggs/chicks in situ

As you can see a feeder can often give more instant results and will allow a greater variety of birds to be viewed, our feeder is visited by blue tits, great tits, long tailed tits, coal tits, chaffinches, greenfinches, great spotted woodpecker, nuthatches and the occasional sparrowhawk!

Whereas with a nest box there is no guarantee that any given next box will be used in a nesting season, and it is entirely feasible that it may be a year or more after siting before it is occupied. Having said that, only a nest box can provide the excitement of seeing a pair of birds building a nest and raising a family, a sight which is often hidden to us.

What to look for in a nest box?
Nest boxes can range enormously in price and design, so here are a few factors to consider when planning your purchase.

Hardwood vs softwood
The very cheap next boxes available at your local garden centre or via the internet may well be in softwood, these will be much cheaper, but they are much more likely to warp and suffer through prolonged exposure to wind and rain. We would always recommend a nest box made from hardwoods such as cedar or similar, and of at least 15mm thickness to ensure proper insulation against both cold and heat. Our boxes are typically 20mm and are all hardwood. We do not treat the inside of any of our boxes to ensure that there is nothing that could cause damage to the occupants. Where boxes are treated on the outside, it is essential that a bird-friendly stain is used.

Type of Hole/Entrance.
The entrance hole size depends on the species you hope to attract:

• 25 mm for blue, coal and marsh tits
• 28 mm for great tits, tree sparrows and pied flycatchers
• 32 mm for house sparrows and nuthatches
• 45 mm for starlings

The small box with 100 mm high open front may attract robins or pied wagtails. A wren would need a 140 mm high front panel, while spotted flycatchers prefer a low 60 mm front to the box.

In reality a 28mm hole is suitable for general use and will attract blue, coal and marsh tits as well as great tits etc. Too large a hole will leave the birds feeling vulnerable and can also allow predators such as squirrels to get into the box and steal the eggs. Many of our boxes come with a copper plate fitted around the entrance hole, this prevents predators and some larger birds from expanding the entrance in order to get into the box.

Drainage
To enable any water that may get into the nest box to drain away, it is best to ensure that next boxes are screwed together rather than glued. Glueing seals the joints to such an extent that water cannot drain out of the joints and will remain in the box causing damp, mould and other water damage. Most of our boxes also have small drainage holes in the floor of the box to further aid drainage.

These are the main considerations when choosing a nest box, in another post I look at the various options when choosing a camera for your nest box.

The nuthatch is one of my favourite birds, probably my favourite garden bird. Colourful and distinctive its a fantastic sight to see on the bird feeder. While the nuthatch is a resident bird and one that usually stays close to its home area, we can go weeks between visits, and then it will grace us with its presence for a few days before disappearing off again.

The nuthatch Sitta europaea, is the only species that we have in he UK, and unlike woodpeckers and treecreepers, which which they share similarities, nuthatches descend trees headfirst. Clearly hanging upside down is a favourite angle for the nuthatch as can be seen from how it is attacking the nuts in our feeder!

Although nuthatches are not endangered (the RSPB gives them green status) we can go for weeks without seeing them as as they spend most of their time in the trees looking for the insects, hazel nuts, acorns and other seeds and nuts that make up the majority of their diet.

More Information on the Nuthatch (taken from the BBC Science & Nature pages)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/3059.shtml

Life span
They live for about 11 years.

Statistics
Length: 14cm, Wingspan: 22.5-27cm, Weight: 20-25g.

Physical description
Nuthatches have a blue-grey back, with chestnut flanks. They have a short tail, a black eye-stripe and a long pointed bill. There are two distinct colour forms: the northern european subspecies has a white underside, and birds elsewhere have a buff underside. They are plump birds that look a bit like small woodpeckers.

Distribution
Nuthatches are found in England and Wales, France and Iberia, east through much of the Mediterranean area to parts of Turkey and the Caucasus and north to southern Scandinavia and Russia. They also breed in a limited area of Morocco.

Habitat
They live in woodland, parks and gardens, and sometimes visit bird tables.

Diet
They feed on insects, as well as nuts and seeds, which they hammer into trees and split open with their sharp beak.

Behaviour
Nuthatches are agile birds that spend the majority of their time in the trees. They are able to run headfirst down trunks as well as upwards, picking insects from the bark. They are a resident species in the UK.

Reproduction
Nuthatches nest in holes in trees, often plastering up the hole with mud if it is too large. They lay 6-9 eggs, which are incubated for 14-15 days. The chicks fledge after 23-25 days.

Conservation status
Nuthatches are not listed by the IUCN.

Voice
Nuthatches have a loud ringing ‘tuit, tuit, tuit-tuit’ call, as well as a loud rattling ‘pee, pee, pee’ trill.

We are delighted to have added a range of locally made products to our range. Having discovered Mark Bradley of Wildlife Habitats we have added a number of his products to our offerings in Nest Boxes, Bird Feeders and Insect Habitats.

Mark hand makes all his items at his workshop at Alby Craft Barns, which is located on the A140 between Norwich and Cromer. The collaboration came about following a phone call from my mother who had seen some of Mark’s products at Holkham Hall, a National Trust property in Norfolk.

A phone call to Mark, lead to me visiting his workshop and a conversation about the products he can offer and whether they would appeal my our customers. I was particularly impressed by Mark and his enthusiasm for his craft and the products he makes.

Mark sources much of his wood locally, and the rustic range is made predominately from timber sourced from a few local estates. I have been able to add a number of Mark’s nest boxes, his rustic bird feeders, the bottle feeders and rustic insect houses to our range as well as his iconic Beach Cafe nest box which is hand made and hand painted with hand cast details such as the name plate, life belt and door.

Beach Cafe Nest Box (shown in Sunflower)

It is particularly satisfying to be able to add products that have been made in Norfolk, and also great to be able to support a local craftsman who is clearly passionate about his products and skills.

More details about Alby Craft Barns and Mark Bradley can be found via their website at http://www.albycrafts.co.uk/default.asp, its well worth a visit if you are in the area.

Mark’s products can be found on our website

http://www.birdboxcameras.co.uk/productlist_1.php?category_id2=216

http://www.birdboxcameras.co.uk/productlist_1.php?category_id2=208

http://www.birdboxcameras.co.uk/productlist_1.php?category_id2=202

or via our Amazon listings:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005THQDPU

We look forward to a long and successful collaboration with Mark and are delighted to be able to offer his products to a wider audience.

The BTO also have an article on Trichomonosis available on its website: http://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/gbw/gardens-wildlife/garden-birds/disease/trichomonosis/spread and are asking people to report any cases they may come across to either the RSPB or themselves. Birds suffering from the parasite will tend to be fluffed up and lethargic and will typically remain near the feeding station.

The following guidance from the RSPB may be helpful if you suspect you have found some infected birds

What can I do?

If trichomonosis is suspected, it is recommended to temporarily stop putting out food, and leave bird baths dry until sick or dead birds are no longer found in the garden.

This is to discourage birds from congregating together, which may increase the potential for the disease to spread between individuals.

Wild birds can suffer from a variety of diseases from time to time. Good hygiene practice, specifically the regular cleaning of all feeders, bird baths and feeding surfaces, is an essential part of looking after garden birds and will help to lower the risk to birds of diseases in general.

No effective treatment can be administered to birds in the wild, because it is impossible to ensure that the infected individuals receive an adequate dose and that healthy birds do not pick up the medicine. Also, a positive confirmation of the disease is needed prior to starting any treatment, and this can usually only be obtained by a post mortem.

How you can help

If you are finding sick and dead birds in your garden, please help us monitor the spread and intensity of all disease outbreaks in garden birds by telling us what is happening to the birds visiting your garden. You can access a recording form by clicking on the link to the right.

Thanks for your contribution to this valuable piece of monitoring work. We’re sorry, but when we receive a lot of enquiries, we may not be able to respond to each one personally.

Diagnosis of disease, including trichomonosis, in wild birds relies on post mortem examination. The GBHi recommends following sensible hygiene precautions as a routine measure when feeding garden birds, and to avoid handling sick or dead wild birds directly.

If you require further information or advice, please e-mail our Wildlife Enquiries team at wildlife@rspb.org.uk or call 01767 693690 (Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm).

 

The British Garden Birds  website also has an article on garden bird hygiene and some of the main bird diseases which can be found by following the link.

This should act as a timely reminder that we need to ensure that we aren’t inadvertantly helping spread diseases like trichomonosis by cleaning feeders, tables and nest boxes, removing stale food and ensuring that water is changed regularly. Without doing so, we run the risk of helping spread the parasites that cause a number of bird diseases. We use a sanitiser spray for regular cleaning, and a good scrub and wash down in a weak bleach solution from time to time. The parasite responsible for trichomonosis,  Trichomonas gallinae, is spread through contact with an infected bird or through contaminated water so while cleaning is important, its especially important to ensure that the  box/feeder is properly dry before putting it back into use, otherwise residual water can provide a breeding ground for the parasite.

So far our finches appear to be in good health, but we will remain vigilant. While out walking the dog across the common a few days ago there was a flock of around 50-100 small birds that were sitting on the long grass, flying up as a flock into some trees if we got to close. It was impossible to be 100% certain but from the flashes of colour they may well have been greenfinches or something very similar