Bird Buddy's new pollinator cam is a Kickstarter hit: I got to see it in person
Summary
UPDATE: May 8, 2025, 1:45 p.m. EDT Bird Buddys Kickstarter campaign for the Petal nature camera and Wonder Blocks has now raised $2.1 million (with 11 days still to go), beating its original fundraising goal by nearly 2,000%. Theyre only proofs of concept or prototypes of devices that could maybe one day potentially hit the market.That makes Bird Buddys new $129 Petal smart nature camera somewhat of a phenom. ")The Petal ships with a swappable macro lens for detailed close-ups and an ovular solar panel thatll keep it running "indefinitely in most environments," according to its press materials. Without the panel, the devices "low-powered architecture" lets it run for over a month between charges.The Petal isnt meant to be a cutesy backyard CCTV system: Its purpose is to get you on a "first-name basis" with your local flora and fauna, Zidar said in January. For example, if a songbird starts building a nest in a nearby tree, youll get a ping.Per the press release, Petals companion app has a "built-in storytelling engine" called Natures Voice that can create "BBC Earthstyle mini documentaries" using highlights from its 4K video footage.