Terri Underhill
Getting comfortable
Well I have been working on this project for months and I got my Loryta IPC-B5442E-ZE cam over the owl nesting barrel a few weeks ago. I had my Dahua 49225 as a distant cam and it just couldn't go high enough to catch the owls in the tops of the trees. So I decided to try the Dahua 360,PTZ1A225-HNR-XA. I mounted it on a 4x4x16 buried 2' in 100 lbs of concrete. I'd still like to brace it to the building. I had two steel plates that came off of a swing set that I attached to the sides to help steady it from high winds. I have to tell you I didn't think I was going to be able to mount that dang camera after setting the 4x4 in place. I have a 16" extension ladder but I didn't trust the 4x4 to lean it up against to mount the cam. So we rented a scissor lift. That was a complete disaster. Our soil was too soft and it just sank. We tried plywood and even sheet metal and it was a complete disaster. After digging it out three times we returned it. I decided the cam was going to be mounted before the days end come hell or high water. So I put a 16' ladder between the 4x4 and building and tied it on. I put our shorter A frame ladder on the other side of the 4x4. With the 16' extension ladder stable I was able to climb the A frame and stand on the very top. ( you know, the one that says, this is not a step) I had camera in hand electric tape covering the screw holes and a rubber band over the lens so it wouldn't swing up. I got up there and had one foot on the 16' ladder to help balance and I plugged the cam into the cat5 and audio. As soon as I did, the cam started booting up and spinning around. I came so close to dropping it. And it was really hard screwing in the screws since I wasn't up high enough to see the slots. But I was hell bent and got it done. I had to use duct tape all the way around because I couldn't see to put the rubber gasket in place, and I had to cover the electric hole with duct tape as well. I probably need to stick something better in the hole where the cable comes out to keep water out. The cam has only been up since Sat so I haven't messed with it much but I look forward to capturing the male owl Jack roosting while Carol is sitting on eggs in Feb. I want the owls to get used to it being there before I start moving it around. I know they can hear the movement and I don't want to scare them. I have a light about 5' above the barrel with a 2 watt led. It was way too bright and I put two pair of black panty hose over it but it is still way to bright so I'm not using it right now. Here's a link to the 360 360 Roosting Cam – Okie Bird Cam Thanks a million to Jack7 for all his help! Here's a link to my you tube video of Carol coming to the barrel in this new location for the first time.
