May 25, 2006

NestCam II: Thursday's Videos

If you haven't already, check out the original post regarding NestCam II (which will also link you back to NestCam I if you're totally new to this thread of discussion).

I had a little camera trouble this morning, but after removing about a million tiny screws and checking everything out in the PTZ camera, it started working again. I had it back in place at lunch today and made an addition to the rig: an umbrella.

I clamped a standard black, collapsible umbrella into place in case there are any sprinkles in the coming days. It also has the side benefit of eliminating a lot of the harsh light and shadow during the middle part of the day and keeping direct sunlight off the camera housing. Yes, the tree in the front yard looks a little odd with an umbrella stuck in it... but such are the demands of NestCam II. :) I also put the 20 pound sandbag I usually use as a boom counterweight on the base for added stability since the umbrella presents an opportunity for wind resistance.

I'll update the photos of the setup in the coming days. In the meantime, here are two videos (one from yesterday and one from today):

This was recorded this afternoon and is just a general look at the state of the nest. There is a fecal sac in the nest (first one I've seen produced outside the presence of the parents) which will be promptly dealt with when one of the parents arrives with a fuzzy black caterpillar. It gives a pretty good look at the four gaping mouths wobbling about. In the bottom right of the frame you can see the black nylon sandbag mentioned above. The video is in two formats: QuickTime 640x480 H.264 (3.6 MB) and 320x240 MPEG4 (2 MB).

I recorded this late yesterday, so the light and shadows are still pretty contrasty making it a bit darker. This shows both parents feeding the babies at once followed by one of the parents settling down on the nest for a bit. Notice the wobbling action as she settles into place. This is her positioning herself most optimally to utilize what is called the Brood Patch. Follow the link there to Journey North's excellent American Robin teaching materials. I'm providing the video in two formats: QuickTime 640x480 H.264 (4.3 MB) and 320x240 MPEG4 (2.4 MB).

More to come!
- Aaron