A Twig, the first twig!

Oh dear! I "fear" that the frontal camera will be of fundamental importance this year, hopefully I have placed it at the right position.

Why do I think so?.....have a look...



A TWIG!

and who was responsible?.....none other than...



a Eurasian Tree Sparrow! :-)

New Year, new nesting boxes...new BIRDIES!

I have managed to install one new nesting box so far (one will be installed tomorrow!).

The new nesting box is full of new features:
3 cameras
- 2 are infrared b/w cameras like the one I used last year (but with a 3,6 mm lens instead for an increased field of view!)
- 1 is a colour camera

2 temperature sensors (inside and outside of the box)

1 light intensity sensor which activates and deactivates...

3 LEDs which are on a circuit which can regulate the voltage i.e. the intensity of the LEDs (the LEDs can therefore be automatically turned on during the day and off during the night)



Two cameras are fastened on the "ceiling" of the box, i.e. looking down, while the 3rd camera is installed in the front and looks inside at "bird-eye" level....



So far there have been visits by at least 3 Great Tits: a male...


(the advantage of the frontal camera is that one can see the strips and thus determine if it is a male (wide), or a female (thin))

...a female missing half a leg...



and a female with a white spot on her head



which comes regularly...



and sometimes just hangs in there in the somewhat warmer air..



Some of the close-ups are so good! I installed the frontal camera only later (just in case the sparrows decide to take over and build a nest) and am really happy I did!

One (or two) tree sparrow came in twice and I saw one looking in on Saturday..



but so far the Great Tits have been visiting more frequently.

I took the old nest and installed it just outside my office window. I changed the front plate. The new plate is fitted with a 26 mm hole, i.e. too small for Great Tits. A Blue Tit has shown great interest and today I managed to make a video of it inside...



I sometimes see the Blue Tit busy at fending off other Blue Tits away from the nesting Box. This morning I also "witnessed" a mid-air fight!