Wi-fi Small Bird, 'Birch Log' Nest Box

This birdbox is a more compact version of my previous design, but basically the same kit used as in the as the robin box described previously: 8 mega-pixel digital camera, wifi IP connection, night-vision or visible light options with added illumination, and motion activated recording facility.

Update 01/01/19: Winter maintenance = addition of Infra-red IR cut here
Update 06/06/18: Chicks and a sticky end here
Update 11/05/18: Nest building, and egg laying here


This time I've equipped a cheap commercial nest box box, rather than make my own as I liked the 'natural' look of it. This box is supplied by CJ Wildlife, it's basically a hollowed out birch log with a 32mm hole at the front, which should be good for Blue Tits and Great Tits.  Total build cost is in the region of £70.

TamperProof.  Holds off any Woodpecker armed with a philips head screwdriver

My main problem with this box is that the  lid and the back baton are attached with 'TamperProof' Torx head screws.  I cant see the point since good old philips-head screws would have done just as well.  If you're going to buy this box, make sure you spend the equivalent cost on a set of appropriate screwdriver bits....  I also replaced the back batton to give an attachment point beneath in addition to the one at the top.

There is enough of a gap between the roof and the entrance hole to squeeze in the this little fella, which fits in snugly under the lid

Lid insert with Raspberry Pi Zero-W, 8MP IR camera and 4x IR and 4x White LEDs

Birch log box with camera insert

I made two changes with this design over the Robin box version of this

Top and bottom view

LEDs are added via 2x perfboards on the underside, instead of fiddly, messy wiring on the top. The 12v to 5v conversion is done via a recom switching regulator (R-78B5.0-1.5).  I had originally planned to supply this box with a 5v feed but this didnt work well, and had to supply at a higher voltage (12v) and then drop it.  The switching regulator component alone is an equivalent cost of the Raspberry Pi Zero-W, so I've used it a reusable way rather than soldering it directly in to the stripboard.

Bodge-tastic use of PCB terminal blocks...

As previously, the unoccupied left side slot is wired for a L293DNE to switch an IR-cut filter (to be added at some point later, for a how-to see this post).

The finished product

Some inside views

Top: Infrared mode, Bottom: Visible light mode

The visible light option suffers from the lack of an IR cut filter, but one can be added once nesting season is over...

and in-situ