Low Cost Camera with Blue Iris for Bird Box

[CK IP Camera]

Hi, I want to setup a bird box camera. I'm in the UK and there are some off the shelf offerings available here but they are expensive for what they are and none of them do everything I want (apart from the ones with cloud storage at cost!).
I've played with BI before on the trial version and really like it so was wondering about buying that and using cheaper cameras to achive what i want. I'll also get other cameras in the future so it would be cost effective over time.

Could anyone recommend a small camera that would be suitable for this kind of application and compatible with BI?

Must haves are: Small physical size, PoE, Night Vision
Prefered are: Low glow LEDS (eg. non visible), wide angle
Some have day time LEDS as the inside of a bird box is pretty dark but I can achieve this with a separate LED if necessary.

I can get motion alert and recording via BI. Is it easy to access BI remotely?

 

[TonyR]

IMO, the Sercomm RC4551 is a terrifc bird box camera: 1080p, POE, 4" close focus, IR, microphone and works with Blue Iris. They are no longer being made but often they will show up on ebay.

They were made for AT&T, Comcast, Cox, etc. and aren't weatherproff but are OK inside a good birdbox. I've had one in service in a bluebird box streaming to Blue Iris for 3 years now, the audio goes wonky with static about every 5 or 6 weeks but a power cycle corrects it again.

Blue Bird House Camera

I have a small camera in a birdhouse to watch the birds build a nest and raise the little ones. The camera is old technology and time to upgrade. I found a camera with newer technology on AliExpress, but AliExpress will not accept my credit card, so I cannot purchase it. My credit card company...

ipcamtalk.com

If you're unable to find the RC4551, it's cousin the Sercomm OC432 is a good second choice, also found on eBay. It is also 1080p, POE, 4" close focus, IR, microphone and works with Blue Iris. It too can be mounted using some plumber's tape and imagination.

EDIT: I see that neither of the above are on eBay UK. Can you purchase anything on eBay in the U.S. of A and have it shipped to the UK ?

 

[CK IP Camera]

Hi TonyR, Thats a real shame as it was exactly the kind of thing I was after. Shipping costs to the UK far exceed the camera cost!
Thanks anyway. Interesting reading about your experiences with your camera.

 

[TonyR]

Hi TonyR, Thats a real shame as it was exactly the kind of thing I was after. Shipping costs to the UK far exceed the camera cost!
Thanks anyway. Interesting reading about your experiences with your camera.

I have 5 more of the RC4551's in my closet gathering dust. I'd rather see someone using them in a birdbox.
PM me your shipping address and I'll find out how much it costs to ship one to you and if reasonable to you I can do that, just pay the shipping with no charge for the camera.

 

[looney2ns]

Here are some:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2255799943349535.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000060.1.3f35770eFRqvrF&gps-id=pcDetailBottomMoreThisSeller&scm=1007.13339.274681.0&scm_id=1007.13339.274681.0&scm-url=1007.13339.274681.0&pvid=c9da9c34-e8ed-48af-b465-b26e5327c29f&_t=gps-id:pcDetailBottomMoreThisSeller,scm-url:1007.13339.274681.0,pvid:c9da9c34-e8ed-48af-b465-b26e5327c29f,tpp_buckets:668#2846#8115#2000&pdp_ext_f={"sku_id":"10000000382343892","sceneId":"3339"}&pdp_npi=2@dis!USD!!27.29!!!!!@211b5e1e16567793528135844e7777!10000000382343892!rec&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

 

[CK IP Camera]

Would I go for the lowest focal length possible with these? Some of them go as low as 1.6mm. With the box I want to use

I have 5 more of the RC4551's in my closet gathering dust. I'd rather see someone using them in a birdbox.
PM me your shipping address and I'll find out how much it costs to ship one to you and if reasonable to you I can do that, just pay the shipping with no charge for the camera.

Hi Tony, actually the Aliexpress camera is more suitable as its much smaller and would fit into the bird box I want to use.

Thanks so much for your kind offer though,it really was much appreciated!

 

[CK IP Camera]

Would I go for the lowest focal length possible? Some of these Aliexpress cameras go down to 1.6mm. The camera would be around 6" away from the birds and the style of bird box looks at the botton of the box at an angle (rather than straight down from above) and would take in the entrance hole.