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Post by pete11 on Feb 12, 2022 16:03:58 GMT
Linda, looking at that 4k camera it's a bit confusing on the GreenFeathers website, it says 'the HD converter does not provide audio', but the camera tech spec says it does provide audio. I'd recommend emailing or phoning Green Feathers and asking them to explain how to get audio - they're really helpful generally, although it can take a few days to get a reply from the technical side.
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Post by pete11 on Feb 12, 2022 17:49:43 GMT
Update - wifi camera issues seem to be resolved... I've put my router in a waterproof plastic box and lodged it in a border outside near the tree where my existing nestbox is. Coverage to the camera is now much stronger and it all seems to be working ok now. Phew! (just waiting for the router to overheat inside the box now...!). Plus: new side view box is up...wired ip camera inside. I suspect it's a bit too low off the ground (2.5m?), but never mind. It's got a 25mm hole plate on, so BTs only, or nothing at all!
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Post by karenupnorth on Feb 12, 2022 21:01:07 GMT
Hope you get a new tenant soon Pete! Glad to hear you sorted the wifi issue too.
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Post by matt on Feb 14, 2022 9:19:05 GMT
Looks good Pete. 2.5m is fine I think, my nest last year was more like 2m up on a house wall.
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Post by pete11 on Feb 14, 2022 14:00:04 GMT
Thanks Matt. My next technical issue is now presenting itself: recording the streams from both cameras together on Raspberry Pi looks as if it demands a bit too much bandwidth for the powerline adaptor to handle ...so intermittent noise on video images on both cam feeds. Just recording the wifi cam only (1080p/8fps) is fine (whereas the new cam from gardennature seems to be 2K 3MP (2304x1296P) @ 20fps which adds quite an overhead) Unless it's something to do with packing the 48vdc POE adaptor for the new box/cam very close next to the access point, bundled together in the same waterproof box - interference perhaps? On the plus side: a flurry of BT activity this morning including a couple of double visits to the tree box (wifi cam) And also male BT had a quick cling onto the entrance of the new box and brief peek in.
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Post by pete11 on Feb 15, 2022 12:39:28 GMT
Some very feisty mid-air tumbling battles this morning between the male BT and GT. Male BT really seemed to be defending my tree box, hopping from branch to branch near the entrance - I'd have put money on the GT being the dominant one but this male BT was having a real go, and succeeding. Every time the male GT inched nearer the box the male BT would match his moves. The females of each pair were in the vicinity, too.
Fascinating to watch.
After yesterday's double BT visits I've managed to pin down which is male and which is female I think.
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Post by matt on Feb 16, 2022 15:52:54 GMT
Exciting stuff Pete, and hopefully none of them get too badly hurt and maybe they can just choose a box each! I had some horrible female/female fights in my box last year, not something I want to witness again.
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Post by pete11 on Feb 16, 2022 19:53:54 GMT
Here's the Blue tit pair earlier this morning - at some point if this carries on I might think of some names for them, but that feels like tempting fate at the moment! Lovely to see them doing the male-in-first...wait-for-female...quick-swap....female-inspects routine, always with a little chirrup by the female during the swap, as if she's shooing him out. Great tits not doing very well at stopping any of this happening at the moment.
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Post by sammi on Feb 17, 2022 19:47:06 GMT
Sounds like things are getting interesting I hope they sort out things without too many feathers lost I have sparrows and bluetits checking out one particular box but I think the sparrows will take it.
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Post by pete11 on Feb 22, 2022 17:12:50 GMT
While I've been obsessing over the BT/GT goings on around my tree box, a pair of Robins have been present in the garden most of the time. In fact at times there have been up to four of them, and lately I've seen some very intriguing display behaviour along the top of the fence... tails stuck in the air, heads looking skywards, moving the head slowly from one side to another. I don't know if this is courtship or territorial. Anyway, they've recently been flitting about in the vicinity of my old homemade robin nestbox, which I tried installing a tiny wifi camera in without success, before buying the greenfeathers kit and putting it in the tree. Today, they were in and out of this old box for several hours, and I noticed leaves being picked up and taken in. I've just been out there to have a look, and it seems they've been building the beginnings of a nest! I took a video yesterday and there was nothing in the old box but a couple of bits of ivy stalk. This afternoon, however, what a difference - see for yourself in these pics: Not sure how much more work they've got to do, but it's definitely a start. If only I had a decent camera set up on the box It looks quite an untidy effort, and they've completely misunderstood the way the box is supposed to work - they're supposed to make the nest in the tucked-away compartment to the left of the entrance. I didn't leave any instructions so I suppose you have to forgive them. But I wonder if this pile of leaves is just the first line of defence? Perhaps they're planning on some more finessed interior works in due course? I'll have to wait and see....! PS: this is all there was in the box yesterday:
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Post by karenupnorth on Feb 23, 2022 11:44:45 GMT
How exciting Pete, really chuffed for you! Hope they continue to build. Can you set up a trail cam to view the comings and goings from the outside, Paul and I use the mini apeman trail cam with great results.
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Post by pete11 on Feb 23, 2022 18:28:04 GMT
Now there's a thought - thanks for the suggestion. I'll look into it!
PS: double BT visit to the new box this morning as well as several to the tree box. Think I might have to start recording the camera in the new box!
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Post by sammi on Feb 24, 2022 15:35:22 GMT
Hi Pete Sounds like it's all starting to get interesting. I hope the spring brings you joy
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Post by pete11 on Feb 25, 2022 7:34:12 GMT
Lots of spring cleaning going on in my tree box by the BTs in the past couple of days. There's still a lot of GT poo to clear! The female seems to be getting more into it than the male. Annoyingly in all the excitement with the double visit to my other new box, I've messed up the raspberry pi scheduling so it's going awol doing shed loads of recordings... it'll use up all the bandwidth and probably make everything fall over in a heap later today.... typical I'll be at work unable to fix it
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Post by pete11 on Feb 26, 2022 15:35:42 GMT
The BT spring cleaning continues.... here's a speeded up timelapse-style video of this morning's comings and goings. Seems like they're putting in a Herculean effort. The BT female seems to be the one doing most of the work at the moment, with the BT male standing guard outside. She's going in, picking up another piece, flying about 2 metres out to to the next tree, dropping the 'dropping', as it were , and then heading straight back into the box. Rinse and repeat. The GT still tries to muscle in on proceedings from time to time, but BTs don't seem deterred as yet. The base of the box is supposed to have a drainage hole at each corner - for months three of the four have been blocked by GT poos....but this morning the BTs opened the top right hand one up and now daylight shines through. GT rooster exits box about 0630, returns briefly after an hour just to check up, before the BTs start work a few hours later... Meanwhile on the Robin front, a fair amount of activity yesterday and moss has appeared as an inner lining to the initial leaf structure, but not much further activity today.
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Post by pete11 on Feb 26, 2022 22:32:58 GMT
Robin nest looking a bit more complete - looks pretty cosy in there now with the moss and grass lining. No real sign of them coming or going today though.
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Post by matt on Feb 27, 2022 12:52:06 GMT
Good stuff Pete, got a feeling you are going to be lucky this season!
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Post by pete11 on Feb 27, 2022 17:45:05 GMT
Hmm, just looking outside around 5pm and noticed the BT pair flitting around agitatedly near the tree box. Male kept climbing up a branch and back down again, hopping about, and the female would come over and join him every so often. They looked for all the world as if they were about to enter the box, but not quite doing it. Then I checked my camera app and the GT had recently gone into the box and was already roosting. Not sure if this little drama has been happening on previous evenings already and I've just not been there to witness it.# Even so, the BT pair looked distinctly concerned. Bloomin' GT! After all the work the BTs have been putting in lately!
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Post by karenupnorth on Feb 28, 2022 6:41:15 GMT
Its as though they have found out they have a squatter in their chosen home, I wonder does the GT have a mate yet? I have a feeling the female was thinking of roosting in the box lastnight but was pipped to the post by the GT! I feel a scrap coming on buy I hope I am wrong!
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Post by pete11 on Feb 28, 2022 17:34:06 GMT
Nooo Karen,say it isn’t true. I’ve got a horrible feeling you’re right. Either that or they’ll just give up and find somewhere else. They’ve been into the new (lower) box but aren’t really giving it any real consideration right now.
Yesterday evening’s roosting worries don’t seem to have deterred them from paying the tree box plenty of attention again today, starting even earlier than before. I think the GT rooster does have a mate…in fact I’m pretty sure the rooster is a female just going on the thinness of the black stripe down it’s front. There’s definitely a pair doing the rounds at the moment and they’re quite easy to tell apart when they’re in a bush or tree together. My tree box camera looks downwards which makes it hard to check the front stripe on the rooster.
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Post by pete11 on Feb 28, 2022 20:49:19 GMT
Ok, just looking back through today's BT activity - quite a few double visits with the classic male/female 'swap' happening. And....I think....I may...have seen....a little....nesting shuffle?? What do you reckon? Am I imagining things? See at 29 seconds into this video clip....
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Post by WildlifePaul on Feb 28, 2022 21:41:01 GMT
Certainly looks like she was about to do one Pete, Looking good for you! Fingers crossed
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Post by karenupnorth on Mar 1, 2022 7:44:43 GMT
Oh they definitely liking that box Pete, certainly appeared to be the beginnings of a wriggle so does the GT do many trips to the box in the daytime as in does she have intention of using it for herself?
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Post by pete11 on Mar 1, 2022 18:36:05 GMT
That's the thing, Karen, the GT hardly bothers going in during daylight hours....just a very, very occasional & brief visit. It seems to happen mostly when s/he notices the BTs doing their thing. Once or twice the GT has been in the box when a BT tries to enter, and so does the defensive display to shoo it away. Other than that, it's just a case of the GT rocking up at dusk for roosting, staying all night, and leaving at sunrise-ish.
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Post by pete11 on Mar 1, 2022 22:20:17 GMT
And speaking of defensive displays, tonight was one of those moments.... GT arrived to roost (having not entered the box all day, unlike BT pair who've been in and out several times today). About 20 seconds later, BT lands on entrance hole - GT take a while to notice but then puts up a defensive display. But - this time BT hangs about for quite a while - around 25 seconds. Is BT getting a bit bolder now? When GT's done this same thing on previous occasions, BT would scarper immediately!
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