Camera to record wildlife during the night?

Rupert67

Rupert67

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For months we've placed a bowl of tit-bits by the front door when we go to bed and in the morning it's been cleaned up completely. We don't leave meat products because we know that some of the cats in the neighbourhood are allowed to roam free at night. We cut up pieces of fruit cake and leave those .. in the past we know it's been a fox, hedgehog or badger that has claimed the prize.

These days, even by bedtime, nobody has called at the dish, but the bowl is always empty by daybreak. What I'd really like to do is record nocturnal movements.

Can anyone recommend a relatively inexpensive device that 'sees' at night and can record either stills or movie of any animal that approaches in the night? I have a suitable drainpipe close by to which I could secure the camera.

Hoping someone might come up with a solution .. thank you!
 
Aldi have also been known to stock trail cameras once a year or so as one of their 'special buy' type products for around the £70 mark. Whilst the latest technology might give faster trigger times, clearer video/still photos, etc. for pointing a camera at a fixed point where an animal might be present for a minute or so whilst scoffing some food then one of the 'budget' trail cameras might well be up to the job. As with most things, you weigh up the options then 'pays your money and takes your chance'. However, sometimes it's better to risk having a £70 camera stolen than a £200 one. I hope this is useful when considering your options.
 
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Rats?
 
zeb said:
We bought one of those the other week has been working a treat so far, we just strap it to a house brick and put it in the garden.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00V9HPAB2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Click to expand...

Looks like the same as (or very similar to) the trail camera I bought from Aldi last year, see my post above. Talking of trail cameras, I've been told the ones that take conventional AA size batteries tend to work best with Lithium type batteries (non-rechargeable ones), so perhaps budget for a set of those when weighing up costs?
 
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Birds
 
Thank you to Everyone who kindly responded to my post.

After a little bit of research I pitched in and ordered an APEMAN Trail Camera 12MP 1080P HD, which I found on Amazon for £74.99 (reduced from £219.99). There were loads of five star reviews plus, as usual with these sites, one or two who thought it was rubbish (probably because their expectations were misguided or they didn't take the trouble to set the thing up properly).

I've already got shed loads of AA batteries (don't we all, if we have hungry flashguns!) and I can 'borrow' the spare SD card from my compact camera to use when I first try out the trail camera. So basically I'm good to go as soon as my purchase arrives. Looking forward to seeing who wanders in at night!
 
I hope you'll let us know the solution to the mystery. If it's birds my bet would be blackbirds but I really think it's cuddly mammals with scaly tails ;-)
 
just a thought, what about a security system? have one with cameras and records. we used to have one with 4 cameras that recorded movement and also displayed on an ordinary monitor. Not only can you achieve as mentioned but add security to the property as well
 
We bought one from Lidl in the spring. £80 with card and batteries and it has been spot on. 3 year guarantee and loads of picture and video options it gives us depending on the activity of the hedgehog about an hours viewing at breakfast each morning. Well worth the money.
Trev.
 
I had a tawny owl on the one that I set in my Mum's garden last weekend (think it had just swooped on a mouse and eaten it, as you don't often see them on the lawn!), it's usually foxes and rabbits though. Still good fun to watch. If using 'ordinary' batteries I believe that trail cameras don't work as well on the Duracell alkaline ones, I think it's something to do with the power drain characteristics or something. I think the subject was covered on one of the trail cam or wildlife forums, so a Google search might find it. I used the batteries that came with the trail cam that I bought, then bought a set of Energiser Lithium ones for it. Anyway, have fun and don't forget to let us know what's been eating the fruit cake... it will be funny if it turns out to be one of your neighbours! :D
 
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