Barn owls

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Bob57
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Joined: 25 Jul 2019, 09:01
Location: Essex

Barn owls

Post by Bob57 » 18 Oct 2019, 22:20

About 5 years ago i put up a box in the roof of one of our barns, spent a fair bit of time lining a tunnel through the boarding and studs into the box and have had no joy with any lodger's in all that time.
The wife was moaning about something stinking in there a few weeks ago so i wondered if the box was anything to do with it, got ladder and opened door to the sight of 5 barn owl chicks, one big chick all covered in fluffy down, one a bit smaller and covered in down, and 3 small bare and prob no more than a week old, hooray finally worth the effort!!
Anyway that was 4weeks ago, and yesterday we opened up the box to have them rung and there was only 3 left to be told the other 2 had probably been eaten by their siblings :|
No doubt all this rain we keep getting was the cause of their fate, as barn owls struggle to hunt in the rain, but it was the second lot to hatch on the farm this year so not a disaster!!
Maybe now my box has been used it will be a regular thing each year :D

And now Geoff I agree, poxy weather :|

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some bloke
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Re: Barn owls

Post by some bloke » 18 Oct 2019, 23:44

If you can get some daylight straying into the box maybe fit an E700 camera into the roof of the box to a remote monitor? All you need is a 3 core ribbon cable carrying over 7 volts + - and signal. Basically same thing as an add-on with a longer camera cable. :angel:

Bob57
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Joined: 25 Jul 2019, 09:01
Location: Essex

Re: Barn owls

Post by Bob57 » 19 Oct 2019, 09:14

Yes I was thinking it would be great to have a camera in the box :thumbup: more to watch them being fed etc so would need to be a camera with ir.

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some bloke
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Re: Barn owls

Post by some bloke » 19 Oct 2019, 09:55

It would need to be a very low amount of IR to avoid affecting their night vision capability because of the long periods they'll be exposed to it if you'll be wanting to keep a permanent watch on them.

Bob57
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Joined: 25 Jul 2019, 09:01
Location: Essex

Re: Barn owls

Post by Bob57 » 19 Oct 2019, 10:12

Yep cheers mate, I'll make sure it's safe for them if I do put one in there, I'd rather leave it alone than do it wrong :thumbup:
You see barn owls being filmed in boxes on programs like spring watch so there must be safe cameras with ir out there to buy!!

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some bloke
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Re: Barn owls

Post by some bloke » 19 Oct 2019, 11:28

Yes, some car reverse camera systems use a cam with LED's that you could disable most LED's off. Plonk on a 12v battery and Bob's yer uncle. :angel:

Bob57
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Joined: 25 Jul 2019, 09:01
Location: Essex

Re: Barn owls

Post by Bob57 » 19 Oct 2019, 12:02

Wish I was as handy as you with electronics, mabey that could be a new line of business for you, bird box camera's :D for use with 12v battery.
I could trial your prototype :thumbup:

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chas
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Re: Barn owls

Post by chas » 19 Oct 2019, 21:55

Effluent in many languages.

Bob57
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Joined: 25 Jul 2019, 09:01
Location: Essex

Re: Barn owls

Post by Bob57 » 20 Oct 2019, 01:04

chas wrote:
19 Oct 2019, 21:55
Best check first.
https://www.barnowltrust.org.uk/barn-ow ... otography/
After reading that I think I'll save my money :thumbup:

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