Livestream PSA
I have several Birdsy cameras in my yard that I am livestreaming in different spots. The main bath/ pond in the summer can be watched here on my website but also on BirdsyTV. The Tree cam and the green bath cam are livestreaming on that website as well, I am going to post links below. You can give my channels and cams and also videos a like there too. The website will eventually grow but there are already several cams public there. My own livecams change throughout the year, I may move them around, activate and deactivate per my needs. But here is how you find them:
1. Ostdrossel pond channel: https://birdsy.com/l/355115274eb4873b and ostdrossel.com/livestream
2. Ostdrossel3 channel (tree cam and shed cam and sometimes a third one): https://birdsy.com/c/Ostdrossel3
Activity will ramp up in the coming weeks with migration starting, so there may be lots of fun stuff to see. Check it out if you like
It is so easy
to get used to certain things and then feel bummed when they suddenly stop working. I’ve used my Birdsy cams since 2019 now, and when they had a server maintenance yesterday, it was awkward to not see what is going on in the yard. Interruptions happen occasionally but I guess it is extra hard when there is nothing else going on and you are thirsty for excitement 😜 Today, everything is back in order again, and you can watch my (mostly uneventful) streams here and over at birdsy.com. Activity is still low except for some finches, MoDos and a group of Starlings that comes several times a day to check feeders and destroy the bird baths. A hawk has been trying to hunt here too. I am slowly planning spring setups and enjoy spending a little less on bird seed. And the occasional action-packed Starling portrait.
Video: So bouncy!
A mouse has made a home under the ground feeder, feeding from everything that falls to the ground. Last night, a fox visited and then this happened. I have seen this in videos before but did not think it would happen here. I love the markings on this beautiful creature, and I hope he was able to find some food at some point (I don’t think he got the mouse).
Video: The tree cam setup
has proven to be the most entertaining during this rather drab time. I have gone through the videos from the last couple of weeks and made a little montage. I use peanut butter and bark butter on the tree. It is fun to see how many different birds came tocheck it out. Yesterday, there was also a hawk visitng, I was thinking a Sharp-shinned but it could just as well be a Cooper’s. The bird right after it is the banded American Tree Creeper that has been coming for a bit. Have a great Wednesday!
I am seeing a lot of ads for
for "THE AI BIRD FEEDER" and things like that, and I would like to state that I am not using any of these birdfeeder cameras. For my photos I use a homemade setup with an action camera, and for video and streaming I use Birdsy cameras. Many of the currently available feeder cams appear to be knockoffs (makers saw products in Kickstarter that garnered a lot of attention and then proceeded to quickly produce lesser quality products and flooded the market with them). They are often pricey gadgets and not the quality they may promise to be. My opinion of this is coming from seeing posts in birding groups, as well as my own research for what is out there and promising. I can only recommend Birdsy so far because it is what I use and because I know there is a solid, authentic and diligent team behind it. My general advice would be - do some research, try to find feedback and don’t spend fortunes on bad products.
If you are a maker of a feeder cam, feel free to send me one, I will put it to the test.
Have a great Friday!
Happy 2023!
The new year is here, and while bird activity continues to be mega low, an Opossum has found its way back to the yard at night. I dearly love these creatures, so I am very happy about this. May 2023 provide us with lots of fun wildlife footage!
Review: Potey heated birdbath
One of the perks of having this hobby is that sometimes companies get in touch and offer products to try for free. This happened just recently with a heated birdbath. When the first night frost hit, I noticed that the new orange bath I got for this season was frozen over in the morning. Thankfully, I had another one ready right away, and that is the one I am reviewing here. The maker is Potey, and the bath can be purchased on Amazon (there’s a 20 % off coupon there right now too - no I do not benefit financially from this).
Now for the bath. It comes in a nice box with clearly written instructions and brackets to mount it on posts or deck rails but can also be put on the ground, standing on stubby little feet. The cable has a nice length, which is good because outside mounts often require an extension cord and short cables are impractical to handle and weatherproof. Why does it need a cable? It is a heated bath, something I never even thought about in Germany but something that is very practical in cold Michigan winters because birds need a water source also when it is cold. There is a thermostat in there that only prevents the water from freezing, it is not like a hot tub.
This bath is dark green, which I quite like. The first thing to notice is that there are three compartments rather than one. The maker says the smaller ones can be used for seed but I would advise against that because it would just create a mess. Instead, just fill all three with water. This bath is on the smaller and shallower side, so it is perfect for smaller birds. The edges on the smaller compartments are not smooth, which apparently gives birds a better grip, a neat little feature. The bath is oval rather than round, which makes it great to use for the Birdsy camera too . A round bath can, if it is too big, make it hard to get everything in proper focus, and an oval shape just works better for that. I mounted it on the shed, about 7 feet up on a frame I built to add the deck mount to. The mount is like an upside down fork (see pic below), and the bath slides on it from the underside. This is a lot more practical for removal and cleaning than the orange bath mount where I had to tilt the bowl to unclamp it. It comes with optional wires to secure it from tipping but I have just put a piece of wood underneath for extra stability. Overall, the bath makes a sturdy impression, and I am glad I got to test and use it. The dimensions are 15.7" x 11.8" x 1.2" and the price is more budget friendly than my larger ones.
Eastern Bluebirds visiting a heated bird bath
Video: Tiny feeder for the small crowd
I have seen these for a while now and always wanted one, and finally bit the bullet (I found the feeder on Etsy, with a seller named PKNKTreasures). This feeder is on the small side, and I love that I haven't seen a Dove on it yet. Well, and of course the adorable look! The Bluebirds found it pretty quickly too. Yay! I am livestreaming this cam currently on one of my channels over at birdsy.com. They have a sale going on right now too, you can get their camera for $149 right now.
Video: They are back!
Two days ago, fall really started, with leaves changing colors and temperatures dropping. I closed the pond for the season and have set up three heated baths this year, one on the ground at the pond spot, one on a pedestal, and then this one, which is mounted above ground. It is smaller than the others, and it took the birds a bit to find it but now it is in good use. There was a group of Robins passing through that took to it, the woodpeckers seem to like it because it allowes them easy access, and the smaller birds enjoy it as well. Like the Juncos that have just started to return too. I hope you have a wonderful Sunday. Check out the calendar shop as well - from today until the 14th, calendars are 10 % off.
And of course
I am trying to capture more Hummingbird photos while they are around. They are still the most magical little creatures to me and I am very happy to finally see a bit more of them. There seem to be at least three individuals. Two females and the male with the red feather. Below are the two females. The first one came right after a rain shower and has wet head feathers. I am also livestreaming two hummer feeders on BirdsyTV on my channel Ostdrossel3 there: https://birdsy.com/c/Ostdrossel3
Video: Hummer!
As you know, hummingbird activity has been rather low for me this summer, a fact that made me very sad. But I did keep the feeders up in hopes that things would change. And yesterday, they finally did. I love this feeder that allurafeeders.com generously sent me because it looks so different and has such a clever filling system, and it was awesome to see it getting used. It was funny to see them explore the feeder. First I saw one trying to drink under the lid, but then they figured it out and then even sat. Wohoo! Let’s hope for more.
Video: Everybody has a sweet tooth!
I still have lots of Orioles coming, and the funny part is that this year, many more birds are seemingly having a sweet tooth and give the grape jelly a try. I have never seen a Cowbird doing it until yesterday.
Video: Feeder choice
can determine what crowd comes to visit a backyard, and this summer, I have been a bit overrun by larger birds. As you know I love the Grackles, and they usually keep to themselves and eventually migrate, but Blue Jays and MoDos have been particularly dominating this summer. The other day I realized that I haven’t seen a Chickadee or Nuthatch or even Downy Woodpecker in a long time, and they used to be regulars here and I miss them. Usually, I have a big platform feeder and then several smaller stations in different spots and some food on the ground. They are fun for watching but once the MoDos feel comfortable, they will just hang out there and let noone else in. The same goes for my camera feeders. The small bowls hold about two Doves, and that has been most of what I have been getting in photos lately. So in an effort to bring back diversity, I pulled out the smaller, more restrictive feeders, like this one from Kingsyard, that especially Doves cannot access. They try, the rumble you hear here is the MoDo landing on the nut container I placed over this camera for poop protection. The Blue Jays are not happy but they are less clumsy and will still find ways to enter a feeder. And lo and behold - these Goldfinches came yesterday, and this morning I heard Chickadees. I thought this clip was funny because there is also so much going on in the back with Groundhog and Gracks.
Have a great Sunday!
Videos: Babies, babies, babies!
Apart from the Blue Jays and Grackles, there are also young Robins, Woodpeckers and Cardinals. They are still curious and will visit all the feeders to see what is offered. Sometimes, this results in little dominance fights, like with the Robin and Canado here. The Robin has particularly pretty markings too.
The last video is not a bird, but an Opossum mommy that regularly shows up at night. And it looks like her belly pouch is full of little ones! She has quite the waddle going on, and I hope the babies will soon climb out there to get on her back. Well, and that she comes for a visit then too.
As you know, I am using Birdsy cameras around my yard to record feeders and the bird bath. Their website birdsy.com is the headquarters of BirdsyTV, a platform where Birdsy users can share their videos and live cams from their accounts. I have several channels there too and you can also find these videos there. I love visiting the site to check out other people’s setups, get entertained and inspired. And it is fun to see birds from Europe too! Check it out if you have the time.
Video: The hummingbirds
are making themselves really rare this year. I hear it is not just me, everybody seems to see less. I am not giving up hope, traditionally I have seen an uptick in activity by late July and August and even into September. So I am keeping the feeders clean and refilled. The Allura feeder that I was sent has proven to be very pleasant and practical because it is so easy to clean and has not given me any issues with ants or spills, and I don’t have to make huge batches of nectar that never get used. At least the baby Orioles are explory enough to come and visit. I am streaming this camera on BirdsyTv (birdsy.com), and hopefully there will be some hummer visitors at some point. The Allura feeder is available on Amazon.
Video: Miami Vice in the house!
I find Cedar Waxwings fascinating, they are so beautiful with their cool Miami Vice look. They never visit my feeders and only show up in groups at certain times of the year, so I think I am extra excited to see them. I admit we also planted a lot of native bushes and plants to attract them so I would have photo opportunities, but everything is still small. Anyways, please enjoy this group at the bath.
Video: I put a little station
with nesting material on the chestnut tree to see if anybody would take some. Activity has been low on this camera, but the other day I saw something interesting. A female Cowbird came to inspect the material. She must have thought it was a nest. Brownheaded Cowbirds are so-called brood parasites. They lay their eggs in other birds’ nests and let them raise their young. Later in the season, the whole family will flock and migrate together. This was recorded with one of my Birdsy cameras. They are having a Memorial Day Sale right now too, go and check it out at birdsy.com.
This is a transition time,
there is a lot of coming and going right now. Migratory birds are passing through on their way north and there may be fun surprises if you get lucky. Here are some current regulars. And a screenshow from a Yellow-Rumped Warbler. He visited today and was so well-camoed that the camera did not catch him. It was sheer luck that I checked.
Video: They are back!
Today, about a week earlier than in the last couple of years, the Baltimore Orioles have returned. I hear that people are also seeing Rosebreasted Grosbeaks, Warblers and Hummingbirds, but they have not come here so far. Happy Spring, everyone!
Video: Duelling Gracks!
Love is in the air, and the Grackles compete for the females by puffing up and stretching themselves. This was a fun scene to watch today, seeing two males showing off in front of a female. It lasted quite a bit and I only made minor edits. Sound on for full enjoyment!
