Since I was using a Ring camera in my test setup, I also needed to subscribe to Ring Protect Basic to capture video footage. The cost per camera is $4 per month or $40 per year (but starting March 11, 2024, the price will increase to $5 per month or $50 per year). If you use a Blink or Wyze camera, you can choose free local storage using a flash drive or SD card, or pay for a cloud subscription. With Wyze, the camera can also identify whether the movement is caused by an animal, vehicle, person, or package, allowing you to filter movement recordings to just animals.
The Wasserstein case was sturdy and large enough to serve as a feeder, so I often saw multiple birds feeding. It contains just under 2 quarts of seeds, so it’s a little larger than Bird Buddy. Seeds can be easily loaded by removing the roof and pouring. (You can just fill the feeder tray, but you will need to refill it frequently depending on traffic). While we recommend breaking down and using bleach between feedings, Wasserstein says you can also use a mixture of soap, water, and vinegar.
The Wasserstein case costs $70 and includes the camera, accessories (like a solar panel), and video storage subscription (if you want the camera). Depending on the camera, the price will be about the same as that of a Bird Buddy, but it doesn’t have the ability to identify visitors, so you’ll need to have a bird guide on hand. (Without a storage plan, a Blink or Ring setup costs about $170 total.) Still a good option if you want to do bird watching or if you already own one of these existing cameras .
