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A summary of how this works
A webcam is attached to the birdbox and then protected from rain etc. A USB extension cable connects the webcam to my daughter's old laptop. The laptop runs Ubuntu Linux and two programs : Camorama - to capture images at intervals and my Java uploader program to update the website.Camorama can do the uploading but I wanted a bit more flexibility so my program controls when Camorama starts and the hours of the day for imaging (not much point filming at night). My program also talks to an Arduino microcontoller to get the current air temperature. The Arduino gets a binary reading of temerature from a DS1621 temperature chip, converts it to a string and sends it to my program through the USB port acting as a Comms port.
The parts live in the garden from this year and a long ethernet cable connects it to my router. In previous years the laptop was in the garage and the webcam connected though a USB over Ethernet extension but that was quite unreliable for long-term use, sometimes losing the connection two or three times a day. Since avoiding that method it has been very stable.
The laptop under its cover and birdbox top right.
The Arduino topside
The Arduino and DS1621 chip
