# Wood duck cam



## Lucky Dog (Jul 4, 2004)

I installed a live video camera in one of my wood duck houses this year, Excited to see what Kind of action I get.
Here is a hen checking things out.

Wood Duck Cam


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## LooksMoosey (Aug 29, 2015)

We’ve got a couple in our boxes as well. Had a few visits from hens. No eggs yet. But they will be coming soon. Had 3 hatches last year. Caught one of the duckling hatch jumps on camera.


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## Lucky Dog (Jul 4, 2004)

Ash said:


> We’ve got a couple in our boxes as well. Had a few visits from hens. No eggs yet. But they will be coming soon. Had 3 hatches last year. Caught one of the duckling hatch jumps on camera.


Ash, what type of camera setup are you using?


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## LooksMoosey (Aug 29, 2015)

Lucky Dog said:


> Ash, what type of camera setup are you using?


haha. It’s complicated! We started last year as a quarantine project. My hubs was home all the time (teacher) so he was able to film from the kitchen window with an actual camera. Picked up a few long lenses and a spotting scope with phone attachment that have come in handy this year. On the outside of the boxes we have some outdoor security cameras pointed at the boxes (last year these came in clutch, catching full footage of the jump and ducklings). This year we added two more cameras inside the boxes (1 in each box). They are wired cameras (ran the cabling back to the house and into the living room to connect to the router). They have motion sensors and alert me the ducks presence and night vision (infrared). They are not thebest quality.The app is glitchy but they take great footage. This will be the first year we will be able to actually watch the hatch, brood process, and such from the inside. Not sure Id recommend them though simply based off the mobile app process. Although it is pretty slick to be able to watch them live anytime I want.

This was last years jump day footage: 





This years footage is coming soon!!

Forgot to mention they are green backyard bird box cams


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## LooksMoosey (Aug 29, 2015)

some of last years jumpers (from our second hatch)


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## LooksMoosey (Aug 29, 2015)

at any given time we have up to 7 cameras on them to catch everything. (not counting our phones)....it has become an obsession for sure.


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## Lucky Dog (Jul 4, 2004)

Ash said:


> at any given time we have up to 7 cameras on them to catch everything. (not counting our phones)....it has become an obsession for sure.


This is our first year with the camera. We are using the green back-yard also.
I have not figured out the motion alarm, so I have to check in many times of the day.
Do you have any eggs yet? None here in Midland county.


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## LooksMoosey (Aug 29, 2015)

Lucky Dog said:


> This is our first year with the camera. We are using the green back-yard also.
> I have not figured out the motion alarm, so I have to check in many times of the day.
> Do you have any eggs yet? None here in Midland county.


Motion alarms didn't work for first few days with ours. Did a couple reboots and got them working randomly. It really helps to have the cameras on the outside that work great. Those motion alarms let me know when the ducks are in the pond before they jump into the box. But you have to sort through all the other wildlife that it catches (small birds, turtles, turkeys, racoons, herons, etc....)

Now on the green backyard cams we get app crashes when we store too large of a file (recording the hen sitting). I also hate the tiny screws for the mounting bracket. What a pain in the butt those were. One of them stripped and we had to get creative with it. Really, they are not good cameras but I cant find anything better.

No eggs that we can see yet but regular visits from hens and they are sure burying a lot after sitting. So either they are buried and we cant see them or they are not there. Last year we had 3 visible eggs by the 28th of March.


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## wavie (Feb 2, 2004)

Just checked my box in the back yard today. No cameras this year, but we can observe from house. 11 hooded merganzer eggs. She hasn't started incubating yet. 50 yards from a creek.


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## BumpRacerX (Dec 31, 2009)

Moved a cellular trail cam to watch the entrance of one of my boxes. Daughter and I took a peek inside and saw where it appeared something had nested in there but didn't disturb the sawdust to look for eggs or anything. 

Other box hasn't been touched at all.


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## LooksMoosey (Aug 29, 2015)

Are you guys seeing more drakes than hens this year? Seems like a crazy ratio here. One day we had 10 drakes and 1 hen all fly in together. Mostly 4:1 ratios on other occasions.


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## BumpRacerX (Dec 31, 2009)

Ash said:


> Are you guys seeing more drakes than hens this year? Seems like a crazy ratio here. One day we had 10 drakes and 1 hen all fly in together. Mostly 4:1 ratios on other occasions.


I'm a little concerned tbh. I've been on the water multiple trips paddling this spring. And seen exactly one pair of wood ducks (hanging out by my property which is cool). Fair amount of mallards...but very few woodies.

Trail cam fired off this morning at 7:38 but nothing that I can see on it. I've convinced myself that it was mama wood duck leaving the next too fast for the camera to wake up and capture it in the picture.


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## bowjack (Nov 20, 2011)

Ash said:


> Are you guys seeing more drakes than hens this year? Seems like a crazy ratio here. One day we had 10 drakes and 1 hen all fly in together. Mostly 4:1 ratios on other occasions.


When I let the dog out this morning a flock of wood ducks took off swiming from the little pond next to the pole barn to the off shore. Best I could tell there were three hens and seven or eight drakes. I have one box on that pond and two more boxes on the bigger pond further back. Typically all will be used for nesting at least once a year.


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## LooksMoosey (Aug 29, 2015)

We have nesters now. Been out counting eggs. Should be brooding pretty soon now. We figure we are several weeks behind last year but should have a jump on camera for both boxes this year. The in box cameras have been legit cool. So neat to be able to watch them anytime of the day. I love that our little quarantine project turned into a cool hobby.

current progress if anyone is curious: 
Wood Duck Nesting Box: Part 1


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## BumpRacerX (Dec 31, 2009)

Awesome!

We are empty. Kinda disappointing. But then also kinda not in that EVERYONE on this stretch of water seems to have put up wood duck boxes this year. So plenty of spots to choose from.


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## LooksMoosey (Aug 29, 2015)

BumpRacerX said:


> Awesome!
> 
> We are empty. Kinda disappointing. But then also kinda not in that EVERYONE on this stretch of water seems to have put up wood duck boxes this year. So plenty of spots to choose from.


they could just be using a neighbors box. There’s still plenty of time. They were definitely late for us this year. What county are you in?


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## BumpRacerX (Dec 31, 2009)

Ash said:


> they could just be using a neighbors box. There’s still plenty of time. They were definitely late for us this year. What county are you in?


Crawford. I'd guess there's 10+ boxes within at mile. It's all good.


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## BumpRacerX (Dec 31, 2009)

Anyone have any updates on the woodies? My little stretch of the world is not looking good. I have seen where birds were in both my boxes. But no eggs. Talked to people all up and down the stretch and then went out and did my own survey...sounds like maybe two pair of woodies total. 

Did take a hike back into a different area on Friday that was magnificently loaded with wood ducks. Will note that one for next year.


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## LooksMoosey (Aug 29, 2015)

Our nests are full. Granted we only have 2 but both hens are brooding. Should have ducklings by about the 15-18th. Cameras are awesome for keeping track. I lost count on the eggs but somewhere around 10-12 for both hens. They do a great job covering the eggs when they leave the nest to feed. They leave right around day break for about 35 -45 min and again around 7pm for about an hour. Other than that they are just sitting in there sleeping and rotating all day. We are putting together some footage of it. 


BumpRacerX said:


> Anyone have any updates on the woodies? My little stretch of the world is not looking good. I have seen where birds were in both my boxes. But no eggs. Talked to people all up and down the stretch and then went out and did my own survey...sounds like maybe two pair of woodies total.
> 
> Did take a hike back into a different area on Friday that was magnificently loaded with wood ducks. Will note that one for next year.


hope you have more success. Last year we had nesters into June. You just never know.


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## LooksMoosey (Aug 29, 2015)




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