Reflex

A nocturnal wildlife camera trap designed specifically for recording bat roosts in trees. The camera trap detects ultra-fast motion events at night and records bats emerging and re-entering from tree roosts.
 
Features:
 
Ultra-fast detection: The camera has been designed to hold onto the a few seconds of video prior to a movement occuring. The camera will save videos containing footage before a movement occurs and continue recording until a few seconds after the movement has stopped. This ensure that all movement is captured on video and no movement is missed
 
Convenient web based setup: The camera is tuned and setup using a convenient webpage
 
False trigger minimisation: There are often areas within a camera frame where a user will want to ignore movement, such as swaying branches or waving leaves. The camera can be setup to record movement only in a specified area within the frame
 
Weatherproof: All components used in the camera housing and cabling are IP68 rated, so the camera can be left out in a storm
 
Proven ability to record bats: Proven to capture entire sequences of bat emergences and roost re-entries
 
Data saving technology: Only saves video clips containing movement
              
Efficient power use: Efficient power use means the cameras can be deployed for long periods
 
Sunrise and Sunset timer: Recording scheduled between sunset and sunrise based on UK coordinates
              
Live video stream via Wi-Fi: The camera provides a video stream function to allow users to see footage live. This can be used on emergence surveys. This can be useful for monitoring the camera and fine tuning the setup
              
Software updates: The camera can be connected to the internet for over-the-air updates
              
Adjustable invisible LED: The camera has a built in infra-red LED which runs at 900nm+ to reduce red glow and ensure no disturbance to bat roosts. The LED intensity can be altered via the webpage to achieve the ensure battery life or increase the video frame rate
              
Auto-focus: The camera can auto-focus to ensure sharp videos are captured on every deployment
 
Uses:
 
Surveying trees: The camera system can categorically prove the presence or absence of a roost in a given feature or tree - the system is designed to survey for an extended period of time
 
Surveying hibernation sites: The camera can be used to survey the entrances of underground sites and features within hibernation sites to identify if bats are using a site, the species, the number of bats and the exact dates they leave and enter
 
Surveying roof voids: The camera can be used to survey the entrances of roof voids or features within roof voids to identify if bats are using a roof, the species, the number of bats and the exact dates they leave and enter
 
Counting roosts: The number of bats in a roost can be counted without humans altering the bats natural behaviour
 
Monitoring - exclusion & disturbance: The camera can be used to monitor trees and buildings during licenced mitigation and exclusion. Roosts can also be monitored when there is nearby disturbance from construction activities
 
Recording unseen behaviour: The camera system has captured a noctule lekking roost in autumn and bats regularly exploring tree features in winter. There is certainly more to discover
 
Recording long term seasonal use: The camera records bat activity over long time periods so can be used to determine the exact dates and seasons a roost feature is used
 
Other animals: The camera can record other wildlife such as swifts, dormice and amphibians               
 
Remote security: The camera can act as a remote security camera in remote locations. External infra-red lighting can be used to monitor large areas
 
SETUP
 
BATTERY
The system runs on a 12v battery which must be bought seperately. For stability the battery should be rated for at least 5 amps. The system can run on any battery chemistry which gives great flexibility.
  
The system run time is dependent on the capacity of the battery (amp hours) and camera settings. The number of nights it can record will be dependent on the battery temperature, night length and settings. Higher frame rates require brighter lighting, which in turn consumes more power. Consequently, a camera set at 30 fps will last twice as long as one set at 120 fps.
 
A battery weighing 11kg can be carried safely in a backpack while navigating a woodland. This weight corresponds to a 75Ah lithium battery or a 40Ah lead-acid battery, both of which will provide weeks of recording at 30FPS. Smaller, more portable 12V batteries, such as Talentcells, can also be used but will deplete more quickly.