How to Install a Blink Camera In Your Nest Box/Birdhouse for Bird Monitoring

[@jeffreymchugh2045]

Thank you. Have been searching all day for a video like yours. Setting up a screech owl box and couldn’t figure out what camera to use!

[@nesthollow5159]

Ooh! You will sooo enjoy screech owls. The whole nesting experience will be incredible to watch. I'd consider ordering a Wasserstein solar panel if your budget allows just so you don't have to worry about batteries. There is a video on my channel about installing that. If you tab over to playlists, it's in the Blink Playlist. Enjoy the owls!

[@patrickanddarlenefraley5524]

Thanks so much. We just had a brood of eastern bluebirds leave one nest box and have another set of parents building a nest in another box right now. We also have a pair of great crested flycatchers waiting on their eggs to hatch as well. It's a busy season in our backyard here in Guyton Ga. I am going to use my extra camera in one of my bluebird nest boxes. I'm so excited!

[@nesthollow5159]

Thats fantastic. I would love to host great crested flycatchers. I see them only rarely. Enjoy - the camera will make it even more amazing because you can see inside.

[@knitchywa]

I’m a first time Bluebird host and I just got a custom 2 hole box that is also taller to accommodate the blink camera. Now I just need to get the Bluebirds to move in for their second brood! Thanks for all your informative videos. 💙

[@earnestbass4043]

Delightful video

[@bonitaharmel9532]

Thank you

[@stannovinsky8643]

Hi. I found your video and wanted to try it out in our bluebird box. We had them back twice last year. The box is a home made one my son worked on for a project almost 15 yrs ago. I have the camera and was looking at our box and don't think it will work...can I post or send a picture? The box from the top of the roof to bottom of the floor looks to be 8.5 in...so I am not sure if that is enough room

[@nesthollow5159]

Hi glad you found the channel, and thanks. An 8 inch height is too short. For a commercial box, I recommend thr Woodlink BB3 model. You will need to score several horizontal lines underneath the exit hole as "kerfs" or a ladder for the babies to get out. I've used an awl or a box cutter before to do that. I also recommend using a 3/4 inch drill bit and drilling extra holes in the top side panels for better ventilation. The BB3 also has a small block of wood around the entrance- like a wood hole guard. I haven't found many blues liking it, so I take a screwdriver and unscrew it to remove. But overall it's a great box, roomy interior for bluebirds. If building a box, have the interior floor dimensions be at least 4.5x 4.5 inches (you can probably work with 4.25x4.25). A bigger floor (5x5) is being recommended for the bird's sake. But the specs I'm telling you are the minimum to get a camera to fit nicely. Height should be at least 10.5 inches at its tallest point and at least about 9.5 inches (9 might work) at its shortest point. Nestboxbuilder.com has several plans. The descriptions mention interior sizes so that can help you choose. I hope this info helps

[@stannovinsky8643]

Thanks....I assume for our current box, I did not need to have a ladder for the babies to get out as I actually watched one get out and fly to a branch a few ft away? Can you post a video or picture of the "kerfs" on the inside?..Are these needed because the nest is down to low from the entrance? I did not see this in the video about making a "kerfs" unless I missed it?

[@stannovinsky8643]

Would this work for a new box...Nature's Way Bird Products CWH3 Cedar Bluebird

[@daveyJ213]

Are you still there? How is the focal length on the camera lens? In the other words is the camera able to deliver a sharp, clear picture, even though the nest would be very close to the camera? Thank you sharing/posting.

[@nesthollow5159]

It's not supremely sharp like a Nikon macro lens would be. But it's decent, and clear enough to see what's going on in the nest. If you look at some of my other bluebird and chickadee videos, I have clips inside the nest using Blink cameras. That would give you a bit of an idea.

[@MrLibra56]

Loved the video. I hope that you have had some 'chickadees' hatch in it. Thanks for uploading. From UK

[@nesthollow5159]

Thanks. The chickadees came before I could get a camera in their box. I have cameras in other boxes. It's definitely addictive. But here is video of the chickadees taking their first flight if you hadn't seen that. It was such a joy. They are such adorable birds. kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4fUqoCZa7efeM0

[@Javaman92]

You have pluck. noun: pluck 1. spirited and determined courage. That is a good thing. Watching you do this made me smile. I hope you keep making videos. Might I suggest if you do this again that you turn the box upside down, resting the higher top off the edge of your table. I think you would find that easier. Just an educated guess. I will find out when I do this myself. I like your idea of using this camera!

[@nesthollow5159]

Thank you so much. I took a few months off during the fall and winter, especially with it being out of season for birds. And during that time, I put together an educational coloring book for bluebird care. I'm just about to be back at it making videos again :) I thank you for your suggestion too. I may try that out if I redo the video..

[@onwardtotheedge]

Thanks for the video. I just installed mine. One thing I'm worried about is a Caroilina Wren nested in my non-camera box, and it basically stuffed the entire box with nesting material and then made a burrow down into the bottom. If they do that with this box all I will be able to see if the top of the straw until August when nesting season ends and I can clean it out.

[@nesthollow5159]

Yea, they are quite a different sort of nester. We had a house wren in one box. It was so full if sticks. But we were still able to see everything. I think though Carolina wrens do more tunneling whereas a house wren will still have a bit of a cup - but both definitely fill a box. Carolina wrens keep such a big territory. So if they build 2 nests, one being a dummy and not active, you may be able to remove the dummy nest once their primary nest is active.

[@MrTennyson16]

Hello great video and thanks for the links and suggestions. I am setting up my first bluebird house this Fall and hoping to include a blink camera for monitoring, but I'm reading a lot of the comments of not enough headspace with the camera inside. So I had an idea, why not drill a hole in the roof just big enough for the camera lens to see through, mount the camera on top of the bird house and compartmentalize it with something like a "second roof"?

[@nesthollow5159]

I'm so sorry I'm only now seeing this. But yes. I have done something like this to my Gilbertson box. The big thing is making sure there is no leakage when modifying a box. But otherwise that's a great idea.

[@lstvphoto]

Just found your channel. Liked and subscribed.

[@bonitaharmel9532]

When I attempted to install, the camera was past the entrance hole. What brand nest box is used in the video?

[@nesthollow5159]

This video used the Natures Way box, but I've found it comes in conflict with a van ert trap. So lately, I have been recommending the Woodlink brand BB3 model. You will need to score horizontal lines under the exit hole so fledglings can get out. You can score with a utility knife or an awl or screwdriver. But it's a bigger, taller box and allows more room for the camera and it won't stop a van ert trap (to catch invasive house sparrows) from snapping

[@Connie-qn4oq]

Hi! What is this solar panel you speak of? This is the first I’m hearing of this…thank you!

[@nesthollow5159]

Most use the Wasserstein. It's on Amazon. I tried to link it, but the link was super long. I have an installation video for the solar panel and in the description is a link to the panel. kzbin.info/www/bejne/g2PCl3-Qn55_jMU

[@jm3814]

I believe the clicking sound (motion sensor) from our newly mounted birdhouse w built in camera is scaring away my resident bluebirds. It happens every time any bird lands at the front opening. I am receiving the alerts on my phone, so I know they hear it and then watche them they fly off immediately, do you have any suggestions? I have 3 houses and they are nesting in of my other ones now. I am hoping the Tree Swallows will use it when they arrive. Also, I must thank you for such informative videos! I never realized I had an English Sparrow issue until I viewed your video. I now use a sparrow trap (found on KZbin) and use your pillow technique to rid my yard of them. My Tree Swallows and Bluebirds thank you!

[@nesthollow5159]

Thank you for your kind words. Sorry your birds are having a hard time adjusting. Most birds don't mind the clicking sound, but there are the few shy ones. Some things to try: 1. Rather than leaving it armed, push the running man icon to disarm the camera. You can then push the live view video camera icon to check the box when you desire. The goal here is to make it so the camera's automatic motion capture isn't on and therefore isn't also scaring off the birds with the clicking sound every time the look in. And then you can check randomly after a few days to see if there is evidence of a nest using the live view. Then wait for the presence of an egg. The mom will be more committed to the box, so camera sounds shouldn't scare her off so easily. We actually don't use the motion capture much unless there's been a sparrow sighting or we've added a wren guard and want to make sure the parents are still coming to the box. Or for certain observations. So that might help. 2. Make sure there is enough clearance in the nest box for the camera. It might not be the camera sound scaring them but the obstruction. There should be about 9.5 - 10 inches or more from the interior roof to the interior floor to support the camera. And you want the floor square inches to be about 20 or larger. If your box is smaller than that, you may want to try another one. For commercially available boxes, we know the Woodlink Brand BB3 model works for sure in terms of size and is a really good option over all. I hope this helps. Good luck with it.

[@jm3814]

Thank you for the advice. I did turn off the auto detection, as you suggested. Two days ago my Tree Swallows returned for the season and just this morning they started entering the birdhouse so I am hopeful they will nesting in it. Thanks for all the info!

[@nesthollow5159]

@@jm3814 oh that is so great to hear!

[@yes350yes]

Ive been wondering and hoping to find a how to such as yours. I currently have Tree Swallows nesting in my bluebird house and would love to watch their activity but cant. My box lid does have screws on the lid but my box has more of an angled roof than yours appears to be . Will that be more of a problem for installing the camera? Should or will I need to find a different blue bird box with a flatter roof.

[@yes350yes]

The roof angle on my bird house looks just like the BB3 Shown on amazon.

[@nesthollow5159]

A slant roof should be no issue. You just might need to play around with it. Mark where to screw in the mount, then clip the camera on and make sure it will fit within the perimeter. I have had to unscrew and redo mounts before. If that happens, make sure you seal the did screw holes so rain doesn't get in. The big thing to make sure, and I don't know that I covered it in this video, is making sure your box is tall enough for the camera to be on its mount. Shorter boxes mean the camera will potentially take block the entrance or cause conflict with a van ert trap.

[@ericcochran5112]

Someone else may have said it- but I recommend using a power adapter instead of batteries

[@RoxannSnyder]

Is it waterproof?

[@nesthollow5159]

Yep. I have some that aren't in nest boxes but are instead out on the yard - rain and shine. I've also had them fall in bird baths with no issue.

[@bonniemartin4592]

Nest boxes with cameras really need to be 2 to 3 inches taller than standard.

[@nesthollow5159]

The Nature Way boxes are tight, but they'll work for the smaller birds. This was just my demo box. The downside with Nature Way brand boxes is that the camera can conflict with a Van Ert nest box trap. The Woodlink BB3 model is one that I've found really works. It's a bit larger than other off-the-shelf boxes - large enough to manage the camera and a trap and have bluebirds nest peacefully. So I have started recommending it now that I found it. When a box isn't as tall, some people screw in elastic straps to the ceiling and use that to hold the Blink rather than using the standard Blink mount.

[@danl9622]

I’ve got my blink outdoor camera in the Natures way CWH3 birdhouse. It looks similar to the Woodlink BB1 you have recommended. I put it up late in season so I’m not expecting the bluebirds to nest but they will not go in it. The hole diameter is correct so I was wondering if maybe the camera was scaring them. It does not obstruct the hole but it is visible when looking through. Was wondering if you thought it was spooking them or is it normal for them to hover outside without going in. Also it makes a clicking noise when it detects motion. Thanks for your videos, enjoy watching!

[@nesthollow5159]

Hey Dan, I have seen a report of this before. And I think it was in a Nature's Way box as well. The only thing I can think of is that they feel like there isn't enough head room inside? I do have a Nature's Way box that I use as a decoy box and the occasional house wren has nested in there. I think the only time I have gotten BBs in there is wintertime. I have also gotten a downy woodpecker to roost in there for several nights in October last year. A few things to test would be: 1. try to see if you can angle the camera a bit so that it gives them more clearance in the front (as they enter the box) and tilts lower in the back. 2. Pull the camera out and just leave the mount in. Watch them manually and see if they go in. If they do, let them just go in and out, and then maybe after a week, add the camera back in and see if that works. 3. The clicking noise shouldn't bother them. But to test that, you can go to your camera settings, scroll down to Night Vision and turn that off. That causes the click sound. 4. Not a thing to try, but it is late in the season. So it could be that they're just getting ideas for winter roosting. It depends where you are. But it's getting a little late to start a fresh new cycle. 5. Try with a different box (last resort). Woodlink just changed their BB1 model. It's not as great as it used to be. However, I just ordered a Woodlink BB3 to check out. It is bigger and has more headroom. So - that's the one I'm recommending now. I hope that helps. Let me know if you have some progress after trying these things out.

[@danl9622]

@@nesthollow5159 I really appreciate the feedback and quick reply!

[@talldave1000]

How near your home (wifi router) do you need to have the box for it to work?

[@nesthollow5159]

You know, that is a great question. It may depend on your router. But I tested mine... I was able to get more than 100 feet away from the router. I think about 110 feet before I lost it. The sync module is in a different area, about 15 or 20 feet from the router. From the sync module, I was about 75 feet (just a bit more than that) before I lost signal. This was just my test. It could depend on your router or other obstructions (brick houses vs. Sided house may make a difference). But I hope that helps.

[@DanielKowarsky]

Have you had any issues running out of batteries with the blink camera during the process?

[@nesthollow5159]

Yes actually. Some ways around that is to only turn monitoring on manually to check the box. And this is actually important on hot days because an active camera will add heat to the box. The other thing to do is to install a solar panel. They're cheap - $30 on Amazon. I made an install video recently: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g2PCl3-Qn55_jMU

[@DanielKowarsky]

@@nesthollow5159 If I have brand-new batteries installed, it won’t last until fledging? I totally get that there is a lot of motion going on but they are supposed to last for two years. Weird that they wouldn’t last for a few months of nesting - no?

[@nesthollow5159]

@@DanielKowarsky mine lasted up to about a week before fledging. That was with having motion on at night and during certain times of day. So they can last quite a while. But it cut it super close. You also won't want monitoring on 24/7 because your alerts will be going off twice a minute during the height of activity. But during certain stages and times of the day, it's fun to have the monitoring on. It's a great way to study the birds too. For instance, what time does momma leave the nest in the morning? When does she roost? At what point does she stop sitting on the babies to keep them warm at night? So there's definitely a lot of fun stuff to watch. If you're worried about the battery, I'd invest the extra $30 or so for the solar panel. It's just so helpful and puts your mind at ease. Toward the end when they were close to fledging I'd check the camera and pray it wouldn't run out because the app alerted me to low battery.

[@DanielKowarsky]

@@nesthollow5159 Thanks for all the info! Really appreciate it!

[@nesthollow5159]

@@DanielKowarsky no problem. Thanks for the questions. They're great ones to ask for sure.

[@boatsonsand]

My Nature Way box was used by my BBs and they had 5 eggs, and they all fledged fine 2 days ago. I have the Blink Outdoor. I do not believe this camera will work in any box that isn't 12 in from roof top to mesh at bottom(to help w/blow flies). I went to local feed store and sized up about 5 different NABS auth boxes.None of them seem to be any larger in the base, 1 was very tall, and the bird hole was way high which will cause the same issue with the camera part to be barely above the box opening hole, possibly even slightly obstructing a normal entry by a BB. The Woodlink BB3 they had was only 1/2" to maybe 3/4" larger base area than my Nature Way, and minuscule amount taller. Plus, the Woodlink BB3 they had in stock that I looked at had no drainage holes, no plexiglass shield and it was a front open box, which I have read is not the way to go for regular visual monitoring. So, I am in a quandry about how to find a box that this camera I paid $100 for on Amazon will work in. When I install it in my Nature Way box, the camera is right at the top of the hole. A bird coming in to the box through the hole would almost hit its head on the camera going in. The feed store did have a gable roof box from recycle material and was exactly like the one you show in the video for mounting the camera in a gable box, but when I went today to look, they were out of it. Have you any information about BBs not accepting a recycle material box? I read on Sialis site of someone who switched from a wood type box to the recycle material gable box, and his BBs rejected it. Anyway, I am very very disappointed in the whole idea and I really wanted to use one for the monitoring and seeing my BBs next brood from hatching to fledging.

[@nesthollow5159]

The nest lifts will make an issue when it comes to the Blink camera. I personally don't use them because my bluebirds refused to use the box when they had them in there. And so I never thought to account for them in box recommendations. Instead, once the mother blue has built a good amount of her nest, I will use a spatula to lift the nest up and then very lightly dust the bottom of the box with Diatomaceous earth to reduce blowfly and ant risk. This is a common practice among some bluebirders. I wait for the nest to be near complete because I do not want that dust getting all over thr box while she shimmies in there to make it. That could be bad for her lungs. So having the DE sandwiched between the base and the nest minimizes loose particles floating in the box. If you want to use the nest lift, another way to mount the camera would be to skip the actual mount. And instead hold it in with hardware mesh... or, you can screw 2 elastic bands to the roof very tightly, then stretch it so you can slide the camera in so that the elastic bands hold it in place. The upside is more room. The downside is that you can't shift the angles. But if you mark your placement aheas of time using the live view, you should be able to get the perfect view. *NOTE* I have not tried thr elastic band mount with a nest lift to see how much clearance there is. I just know this is another approach birders use when they have a box with limited room. I know that thr woodlink BB3 will provided enough room for the camera on the traditional mount, but that is definitely without a nest lift. The woodlink BB3 should have a gap between the nest box floor and the front and back walls. This is to allow drainage. Double check. Sometimes they don't have them, and I think what may happen is Woodlink might rely on multiple suppliers (given current nationwide logistics issues on everything), and some of the suppliers may be better at manufacturing according to the true specifications while others aren't. If the box does not have drain gap, you can drill a few holes in the bottom corners. The BB3 also does not have kerfs (horizontal grooves under the exit hole for fledglings) , so I scratch them in with a utility knife. I don't personally care too much about the plexi viewing windows. I've always opened the box for manual checks. I also saw a post in Facebook recently about the plexiglass causing a glare on the camera footage that really obstructs the view. I hope this info helps.

[@boatsonsand]

@@nesthollow5159 Thank you for your help. I did in fact get the Blink installed in my Nature's Way box that Barclay and Bebe used for their first brood. I eventually got them trained to use a caged mealworm feeder to eat mealworms during the time of their nesting and until the nestlings fledged June 21. I kept feeding as they would come in 2-3x a day for worms, fly across the street to the cul de sac that borders the very edge of the small lake and probably feeding the surviving young. Yesterday, I saw Barclay come out of the nest box and so I got some worms out to the feeder and ran my sleigh bells to let them know and they came in several times yesterday. After I saw them come out of the box, I was determined to try to successfully install the Blink, and I did. It does not block the entry hole in any way! And I finally was able to figure out the setup. The Synch 2 was what threw me. Your video about installing in the gable type box was huge in my ability to install mine! I am a bit sad today, as after they came in this morning for one trip to the feeder cage each, I haven't seen anything of them. I had to bring the worms in due to rains. I put them back out twice and just the last time 30 mins ago, and no BBs. Where do you get that DE you mentioned? I have never heard of that. I could have done that on their first nest building. ' Thank you so much for your sight! I learned so much. I am keeping my fingers crossed that Barclay and Bebe will be back for another brood. It is only the end of June. I believe that with the cool weather we've had here in E TN up until now, they were delayed having their first brood. However I do know that they could've had their 1st brood somewhere else and for some reason came to my box for the 2nd. Again, I so appreciate you! Whether they come back again and I get to greet Barclay every morning when he perches on the line just across from our yard, or they move on until next year, at least they were my first BBs and I won't forget them.

[@nesthollow5159]

Hey there! That's great to hear. A few things: 1. DE (Diatomaceous earth) can be found at hardware stores I'm pretty sure, and on Amazon. 2. It can take some time before they're ready for the next round of nesting. Mine finally started round 3's nest after round 2 fledged 10 days ago. It's as if she was waiting for July 4 to pass before getting started again. 3. When the Blink camera turns on, it clicks. Usually this doesn't bother the birds, but some people have mentioned their birds being temporarily scared by it. So my recommendation is to turn your automatic motion capture off (disarm) for now and look out to see her come to the box to build. There is a running man icon by the camera's thumbnail, and if you click it to turn it gray, you disarm the camera. You can still manually turn the camera on by tapping the video camera icon. Wait until she's got a good portion of her nest and then test the automatic motion capture again. If she's still nervous, just wait until she has an egg. And I personally don't leave my motion capture on all the time unless I'm looking for something specific. Otherwise I'm overloaded with footage. I hope that helps. I'll cross my fingers for your next round 😀

[@fresa2005]

🥰

[@Greggspies]

My bird box is short, think I need to upgrade get a taller one for the Blink cam, what length is that one

[@nesthollow5159]

The interior is about 9-10 inches. That is about standard. Larger and taller boxes also have the advantage of keeping a nest box a little cooler during the hot summer months. I know from experience that the Woodlink boxes work just fine with the Blink Cameras. They are an excellent starter nest box too. They're built to Audubon specifications, have drainage, fledge grooves and vent holes. We just started listing some products on our site (originally the site was just for information, and it's new, but then we decided to experiment and expand). Here is a link to the box I'm talking about: cavitynesters.com/product/bluebird-nest-box-starter/ There are other boxes on the site. I would not recommend a Peterson box for the Blink - that's just because we have not tested one in there yet. But the box in the link is very affordable and has been a favorite of bluebirds and chickadees. **If you do upgrade and use our site to do so, the shopping side is brand new. Soo, you'll be kind of beta testing it ;) Good luck with the Blink. You will definitely get addicted :)

[@earnestbass4043]

Mine was as well. I built a Petersen style house that worked great

[@vickisuggs7008]

My box is too short! I’ve looked EVERYWHERE and can’t find an appropriate bb house with a 5x5 floor that’s tall enough to house the blink camera. The link above does not exist…any suggestions? I need a bb house asap! Thanks in advance!