BEASTIE TOYS

Whether it’s furry, flying or far away, it doesn’t always have to go on the BBQ – here’s everything you need to be a techy twitcher without turning your visitors into lunch

BIRD BUDDY

While your video doorbell will tell you about every peasant who comes within 10 metres of your front doormat, there’s a whole procession of visitors in your back garden that have gone entirely unrecorded. Stick a Bird Buddy out there, though, and you’ll be able to put together an identity parade of all the flappers that drop by.

Equipped with a motion-activated camera that captures 5MP stills and 720p video, it has a 120° lens pointing straight at the dining plinth, so unless you regularly get visits from an albatross it should be able to fit every feather in. As well as snapping awesome avian close-ups, it’ll ping your phone when a beak approaches and allow you to watch your guest chow down in real time – with a reservoir of food that’s easy to refill when the greedy tykes have finished stuffing themselves.

Titsville UK

What sets the Bird Buddy apart from just strapping a camera to a regular bird table is the extra twitching skills provided by the app. It includes Ai-powered identification smarts that can recognise over 1000 species of common bird, whether the camera catches a proper glimpse or the mic just hears what it’s singing (apparently corvids are partial to belting out the hits of Sheryl Crow).

Each new type that pays your Bird Buddy a visit will unlock a spotter’s badge to add to your virtual collection, a bit like a real-life game of Pokemon but without the battles; plus the app will give you tips on what to fill the feeder with to attract each one… and no, the end slices of bread will not do. Don’t believe us? Check out the RSPB guidelines, you cheapskate. £135 / mybirdbuddy.com