Nest on Overhang Partition 燕窝造在悬吊隔板上

This week was busy on regular BH inspection and harvesting, spent a lot of time in travelling to north then down to south. Some photos taken during this trip, this one is a bit rare that I like to share.

An overhang partition using very thin ply wood installed in this populated BH few months ago, the intention was to reduce sunlight further going into the room as this room is quite near to the 2nd hole. This room was actually populated, but I was thinking to boost it further. Overhang partition will actually cause less impact to the flying path, those swiftlet can still fly through underneath.

This is something unexpected, swiftlets built nest on it and now 2nd nest is under construction. Now trouble for me on how to maintain this thin piece of plywood for many years, I know more and more nests will appear next to them very soon. When we do the right upgrading, your swiftlet will tell you they love it in return with their nests

这星期都忙于燕屋定期检查和燕窝收割，花了许多时间在驾车路程，前往北上又南下。这次过程拍了一些照片，这一张是较少见的，我想和大家分享。

几个月前我使用非常薄的普通悬吊隔板安装在这间旧燕屋，意图是为了进一步减少阳光进入一间造窝房因为这个房间是相当接近第二个洞。这个造窝房其实已有燕群，但我心想进一步提升它。后来加上悬吊隔板对燕子飞行路径影响较小的，因为那些燕子仍然可以在下面飞过。

这是意想不到的事情，燕子在隔板上面造窝，而且现在第二个窝已正在建设。我现在烦恼要在如何维持这薄隔板长年，我知道更多的燕窝很快会在他们旁边出现。当我们做出正确的升级，你的燕子会他们用自己的窝告诉你和回报你。

Change of external sound or Play more sounds 更换外声或播放多个外声

Some swiftlet farmers may concern that if they play two different external sounds, or changing sound when existing sound has lost effect, those swiftlets would get confused or not able to recognize where to home.

Swiftlet is an animal possess capability of location orientating just like the pigeon, with their build-in compass or GPS, they do recognize where their home is and which direction to go home once they have chosen a BH for nesting, there is a small memory of orientation programmed in their mind, this is also how they can find they own unique nest easily in dark space among thousands of nest.

For experiment, if you turn off external sound in a tenanted BH, those existing tenant will still come back as usual. But without external sound, your BH if it is not highly populated one will not be inviting any new birds to become new tenant even your own young swiftlet.

External sound is just tool for promoting or advertising your BH, draw attention and invite young swiftlet to visit BH, whether they decide to stay or next door which will be depending on your BH design and internal factors.

External sound is not the recognition mark for homing. In fact sound called by real swiftlet in natural cave will vary from time to time. I do believe that change of sound or play more than one sounds will not cause any negative impact to the growth but will contributing in positive side.


有些燕农可能担心，如果他们播放两个不同的外部声音，或在外声已经失去了效应后更换现有的外声时，这些燕子会感到困惑或者不能够识途回家。

燕子是一种拥有宛如鸽子方向定位能力的动物，他们拥有已天生具来的‘指南针或GPS’，一旦他们选择了一间燕屋落脚，他们会认得是在哪个方向回家，因为在他们的记忆中已经编程了定位，这也是为何他们可以在拥有成千上万颗窝的黑暗的空间找到他们自己唯一的窝。

做一个小实验，如果你在一间已有燕窝的燕屋关掉外声，这些现有燕子将仍然像往常一样回来。只是如果没有外部声音，你的燕屋如果不是已有大燕群的话将不会吸引新的燕子甚至你自己的小燕子成为新的住客。

外声作用是推广或宣传你的燕屋，吸引燕子注意并邀请年轻的燕子到访燕屋的工具，他们是否选择居留你的燕屋或隔壁的将与燕屋设计和内部因素相关。

外部声音不是识途标志，实际上在天然洞穴中燕子每天都会发出不同的叫声。我认为，更换外声或播放多个外声将不会对增长造成负面影响的，而会作出正面的贡献。

Portable Partition 移动式隔间墙板

We know that swiftlets would normally choose corner or some places they feel safe to start up the first nest and later develops into colony. From understanding such a behavior, some time we will purposely build partition or room creating living environment they like, making birds to stay down. Partition is also commonly used to minimize sunlight and wind pressure in order to maintain and stabilize in optimum micro condition in nesting area.

For newbie or whoever cannot confidently handle flying path or any uncontrollable factors, some time we may need to try and error, improve from experiment especially in revamping fail farm. Portable partition is a good idea helping us in such experiments instead of fixed partition; we can DIY moving it easily or assembly numerous pieces to form a wall or room without assistance of carpenter. We can replace it later with permanent partition after getting positive outcome from the experiment. We can also remove it easily if experiment not successful, or reform into other design.

Attached drawing dimension is just for reference, you may need to resize to fit your BH. Critical part is that the base of portable partition must be strong enough but not too heavy.

我们知道燕子通常会选择角落或他们感到安全的地方，开始造第一个窝，之后才发展成燕群。从了解燕子这种行为，我们将会分割空间建造它们喜欢的生活环境，使燕子留下来了筑窝。隔间板也会常用来减少阳光和风的压力，以保持和稳定在最佳的燕子筑窝条件环境。

对于新手或那些不能完全掌握燕子飞行路径，或任何无法控制的因素，有些时候我们可能需要用尝试和错误的方法，特别是在改造或改善失败燕农场。利用可移动式隔间板是一个很好方法，而不是用固定式隔间板，我们可以很容易动手移动或组装形成墙壁或房间，即使没有木匠的协助。从实验中取得良好成果后，我们才把它建成永久固定式隔间墙板。如果实验不成功，我们也可以轻松地将它拆除，或重组成其他设计。

附图尺寸仅供参考，你可能需要调整尺寸以适合你的燕屋。关键部分是，移动式隔间墙板的底基脚必须够稳固，但不会太重。

Optimum width between nesting planks 燕板之间的最佳宽度

What is the best width between planks? This the question frequently raised during plank installation. As we know those planks are installed for the swiftlets to build nest on it, swiftlet behavior and living style should be the first priority of consideration. Install planks closer will increase the plank number with more plank surface area for increasing nesting area, but if the width is too narrow would actually create difficulty in certain extent for swiftlet to fly in.

When swiftlets are to fly in between planks, they will be moving slowly by beating their wings. Total length of their wings is about 7 inches, if we consider two sided nesting in opposite, width should be double as comfortable space. In normal practice, convenience of harvesting also taken into account, I would install planks at about 16 to 18inches (1.5ft) width with some tolerance while not wasting too much of space. In some actual cases, swiftlets are building nest in even 12 inches width, but eggs checking and harvesting work is a bit difficult and slower.

燕板之间最好的宽度是多少？这问题经常在安装燕板被问到。我们知道，这些木板是提供给燕子造窝的，燕子的习性和生活方式就应该是第一优先考虑。如果木板安装靠近些可增加燕板同时增加燕板造窝面积，但是如果宽度太过窄实际上在一定程度上为燕子飞行造成困难。

当燕子在燕板之间飞行时，他们会拍打翅膀慢慢移动，。他们翅膀的总长度大约是7寸，如果我们考虑双对面燕板造窝，舒适的燕板宽度应该是乘二。但在一般燕板按法，同时考虑到收割时的方便，我都安装在大约16至18寸（1.5英尺）的宽度距离，其中加入一些额外宽度且不浪费太多的空间。在一些实际案例，燕子会在甚至12寸宽度之间的燕板造窝，但进行蛋检查和收割工作是有点较困难和缓慢的。

Some Nests built in the last 12 inches narrowest row

Double Ceiling Heat Insulation 双层隔热天花板

Received few calls and discussed about heat issue, many of us do facing heat problem especially those BHs converted from shop office or light industrial factories, I think we’ve learnt some methods from books or web on how to insulate heat from wall by creating double layer brick wall with insulation or gap, actually most of the heat is conducted from roof to ceiling.

If you are living in the double storey house, we know that the upper floor always warmer than the ground floor, we don’t like to stay at upper floor during afternoon time without air-con. This is the same for BHs, the top floor is where easiest to catch heat if your BH is not made with concrete roof. Many people do add a layer of insulator above the ceiling trying to reduce temperature, but it is not so effective or sufficient to bring down temperature especially those with metal sheet roofing and low roofing.

Heat is transferred in three ways. i.e. Radiation, Convection, Conduction. Insulation material added above ceiling will only reduce heat transfer mainly in Radiation, the hot air trapped between roof and ceiling would actually carry heat travelling everywhere then conduct through ceiling to nesting area.

Double ceiling insulation is one simple, economy and effective way to reduce heat transferred into nesting room. How we do is to install nesting plank 1ft to 1.5ft below existing ceiling, another layer of ceiling plate laying on top of nesting plank, then we should also add insulators above both ceiling layers for better insulation, thus gap in between ceiling layers become another air insulation layer. Again you need double ceiling insulation only on the top floor.


接到有几通电话讨论有关隔热问题，我们许多会面对隔热的问题，特别是那些从店屋或轻工业工厂改建的燕屋，我们可以从一些书籍或网站学到以双层墙绝缘或空隙隔热的方法，不过同常大部分热能是从屋顶传到天花板里面的。

如果你是住两层楼的房子，我们知道，楼上总是比较热，在下午时间又如果没有冷气我们都不喜欢留在楼上。燕屋也一样，如果不是石灰屋顶，顶层是最容易热的地方。很多人都会增添层绝缘层降低温度，但它是不是那么有效的，尤其是那些金属板屋顶和较低的屋顶。

热量传递有三种方式，即辐射，对流，传导。天花板上添加隔热绝缘料只会主要减少辐射传热，但在屋顶和天花板之间热空气会通过对流和传导透过天花板传入造窝区。

双层隔热天花板是一个简单，经济又有效的方法减少热量传入造窝区。做法就是，把燕板安装在天花板以下1英尺至1.5英尺的高度，然后铺设另一层天花板在燕板上，之后我们也应该在两层天花板上加入绝缘层以达到更好的效果，然而两层天花板之间成空气隙隔层。我在重提，你只需要在顶层使用双层隔热天花板。

Auto Reset Amplifier Regularly 自动定期重新启动播音器

Some of the swiftlet farmers who use one amplifier to run internal sound for 24/7 week non-stop operating may ever experience this problem, the player hang up or stop playing sound after long hour operation, when restart the amplifier by switching off and on again, it will be OK.

I was called and asked for the solution by a friend, his BH has been operating for months with couple of nest s built, but the amplifier for internal sound was stop playing for almost a week before he released, some of the new tenants might have moved to next door.

I did encountered the same problem before in those BHs using one amp for 24/7, amplifier is built with electrical and electronic components driven by the firmware like our computer, it could be hang up after long hour operation. It is good to restart the amp as reset regularly. What I did was to use a timer to reset the amp regularly, digital timer is one of the options in the simplest way to do the job as it’s got the minimal 1min interval programming. You can schedule to turn off the amp at 12 midnight, and turn on again at 12.01am in everyday or every alternative day. Those using two amps with alternative switching one should not have this problem as every switching will be a reset.

有些燕农是使用一个播音器来24 小时/7天不停运行内部声音播音的，可能会遇到这一类的问题，播音器当机或停止播放声音，不过当我们关掉开关再次重新启动，它就可以再操作。

我被一个朋友问及其解决方案，他的燕屋已运作几个月也有几颗燕窝了，但不幸的是内部声音停止播放了近一个星期，一些新燕子可能已搬到隔壁去了。

我之前也遇到过这些播音器操作24 / 7面对同样的问题，播音放大器类似我们电脑，由电器和电子组件构成，长时间运作会导致当机。最好定期重新启动播音器以复位。我是使用一个计时器来重新启动播音器，电子计时器是最简单的方法，因为它是有1分钟的小间隔编程。你可以设置在午夜12时关闭播音器，并于12点01分再次启动。编程每天或每隔天运行。那些使用两套播音器替代运作的应该没有这个问题，因为每次开关将会被复位。

CCTV configuration in my BH

Quite tight in this couple of weeks after the long break of CNY as those projects of new BH set up that I need to catch up schedule. In order to ensure materials delivered correctly and construction made accordingly to my design, many thing need to be attended personally, those coordination and travelling really kill most of my time.

As requested, I would like to share the CCTV configuration that I setup in BHs under my care. As in my previous article that I wrote about Automation with IT would actually help in the maintenance of BH especially for those who got BH that far apart from where they live.


CCTV system setup is quite standard, install cameras over where you want to view, connect them with the cable of RG59 or RG6 to the control centre i.e. DVR (or Computer type CPU with video capture card), the most important and recommended is to have a ‘Network DVR’ which can be connected to router in a local network for viewing or downloading recorded video from other client terminal, DVR with the latest H264 format will be in higher video compression rate for faster downloading. I will advise to use wireless (WIFI) router, so that I can actually park my car outside of BH where I can see birds playing at top of entrance without entering into BH, while watching the CCTV capturing in live on screen how birds are playing at entrance hole and all camera points.

Another benefit is that we can also download the video in the pass stored in the hard disk of DVR, then view later whether there is an increase in number of tenants, this is part of the management for me, what I often do is park my car nearby, sitting back in the car and open up my laptop, then enjoying watching birds playing or download video file for last few days without entering into BH, which takes about 10mins for me to do. After finish downloading, I proceed to another BH and do the same thing. I can view those video when I get home and free. That really saves a lot of work and speed up the job.

If your BH is located at where internet available zone, you can also configure to be viewable online through internet remotely from anywhere, but your internet at server terminal (your BH) should be fast and stable in uploading speed in order to have smooth viewing. One thing from my previous update is that those 3G internet from provider like Maxis, Digi are not usable for this purpose because there is no individual IP assigned for client terminal but shared IP, Streamyx and P1 are applicable. Further than the above if your internet IP is dynamic, you should use dyndns domain for free to direct by setting in your router, then you also need to do port forward in your modem and router directing external access to your DVR, which means if your DVR viewing by browser normally use port 80, then you need to port forward all the way port 80 from modem down to your DVR bypassing firewall. If this is too technical and complicated you can get IT expert to help or PM me for more detail.