Crow Cam, remote anti-crow squirt gun

This is first generation, proof of concept, There is a newer, more complex second generation in Generation Two.

Our neighbor feeds the crows peanuts in the shell. We've asked her to stop, or feed them shelled nuts, but she cares more about single-handedly feeding the entire crow population of the planet than she does about her neighbors and the rodent (rat and squirrel) infestation she creates in the process.

Since the most convenient, safe place for them to crack the nuts open is the crest of our roof, right over the bedroom, I have undertaken a project to shoo them away without having to go outside in my robe to throw rocks. Works pretty well, considering. They have found the other end of the house and I need another gun pointed the other way, but at least that's the end away from the bedroom and they don't wake us when they are down there.

The images below are thumbnails. Hover over them for an explanation, click for larger version.

Original deployment with temporary power source    Battery-powered squirt gun on the left, Pan/Tilt wireless IP camera on the right    Placed near the center of our roof, most effective location for its limited coverage    Peanut shells can be seen, here, all over the target area and beyond. The permanent power cable can be seen running into the roof vent    Refill time. This shows the insulation inside with the Disruptor battery powered squirt gun bungied inside. I pulled the camera out for this shot to show how easily it unhooks from the screw head I hang it on    The Disruptor, with "remote" connection. Notice how the back end of the Disruptor has been chopped off (using a chop saw) and wire soldered across the trigger switch.

Internally, a plastic hose runs from the pump out to the nozzel. I have thought about removing the nozzel and fastening it to the camera with a longer plastic hose, allowing me to aim the gun, but so far, the noise scares them before they get wet most of the time anyway.    The AGASIO IP camera has a relay accessible through the green plug on the back. It's intended to be used to turn on an alarm or light when the camera senses motion. It can be controlled via an onboard web server and a CGI script and with it connected across the Disruptor's trigger, I can fire the gun from a web page    The web-based interface from which I fire the gun   

My Linux file server/internet gateway/home web server runs Fedora 17. I wrote CGI, php and Perl scripts to use the camera's CGI scripts to position the camera and fire the gun. Each firing of the gun and each refill is logged. The button text indicates the theoretical amount of ammunition left.

In the summer, water was fine. When fall set in, I added a plexiglass window with a hole in it for the gun and weather stripping around the bottom. I sealed the gun against the window with a doughnut of foam pipe insulation and lined the inside with an old foam floor mat. I hoped the camera's heat would keep it from freezing, but when the cold, clear high pressure set in and it was in the 20's every night and barely 30 for a week, it froze. A 50% isopropyl alchohol mixture solved that. I think it bothers the crows more, too. I had one last summer that just walked closer to the gun when I fired at it. I swear I saw him lift a wing and say "Aaaahhh..." as I kept firing. I don't think he'll be doing that next summer with 50% alchohol.

I zipped up the source files and put them HERE. They are highly customized to my system, but provide concepts.

The Agasio A500W wireless IP camera

The Disruptor squirt gun. I used the clear plastic version so I could see the inner workings (and know where to cut). I can also turn the camera toward the gun and see the remaining water level.