October 28, 2023

Blink Mini Bird Feeder Camera

This is my Bird Feeder Camera made from an Amazon Blink Mini Camera.  I already use these cameras around my home and picked up another mini while they were on sale for $20 so I dececided to try and make my own bird feeder camera out of it.

The design is pretty basic and was inspired by a few other bird feeder cameras I saw on Amazon.

The overall design will be 3D printed in 6 pieces and use a piece of plexiglass in front of the camera.  The Blink Minis are not waterproof so this enclosed design should protect it from the elements.

All of the parts where printed in PETG so they would last outside in the weather and sun.

Once printed the parts were spray painted in some fun bright colors.

Some pieces like the grove for the plexiglass did require some clean up after painting but a file made quick work of that.

I piece of .093″ Polycarbonate sheet was used for the window.

This was cut to size by scoring it with a razor and snapping it on the edge of my bench.

A quick test fit to make sure it slides in and out for easy cleaning.

The camera housing just gets super glued to the main base and is aligned with filament pins.

Here it is mounted.

One more test fit with the window to make sure my design dimensions were accurate.

Magnets to secure the roof were then super glued into the top of the main feeder base.

I used a drawer pull as a perch. I didn’t like the first silver one I designed around so I had to make some spacers for the new black one I bought.

The pull just gets inserted into holes in the front of the base and is secured with 4-40″ set screws.

Here’s that is after mounting.

The back of the main feeder gets a few 4-40 heat set inserts added for the camera door plug and future mounts.

These foam pieces from the camera box will be recycled to press the camera into the glass on the feeder.

These are glued to the first piece of the camera plug.

The camera is then slide into the feeder.

The first camera plug is inserted into place with the camera wire groove facing up…

The back camera plug in then affixed to the feeder with the wire groove facing down. This allows the wire to pass though and should still remain weatherproof. (hopefully)

Here is the camera being pressed up against the front glass.

The front of the roof is then glued into place and held with a clamp while it dries.

Then corresponding magnets are glued into the roof… taking care that the poles are facing in the correct direction so they are attracted to the base magnets.  I also used 1/8″ metal pines to keep everything aligned and secure.  (I don’t want any squirrels being able to remove the roof.)

I made up some temporary (but probably permanent) mounts to fit my mounting application.

For testing I mounted the feeder to my old DIY bird feeder pole that clamps to my deck. It faces the house so the background won’t be exciting but for now I won’t have to worry about the wind blowing the trees and setting off the motion.  Plus the cat can watch the birds.

The feeder was then filed with bird food.

The roof is then added and we are ready for testing.

Hopefully the roof is large enough to keep water out of the tray but if not there are two drain holes.

The over hang should be good enough I think.

Now I just have to wait for the birds to discover it.

It took a little over a week but my first guest was a Titmouse.  He would come in, grab a sunflower seed, and then just split with his bounty.

It actually ended up being a pair of Titmice.  These guys really like the Sunflower seeds… so much they just peck at the glass trying to get them once the tray has been picked clean.

Some kind of Sparrow also showed up but these guys like to stand in the tray so the focus is off a bit. (at least on screen shots… the videos look ok.)

At least they are both playing nice so far.   More updates to come… I want to try turning the camera on it’s side next to see what kind of shots that will show.

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