Conjure Animal Scout

You animate a small carving of a Tiny Beast, with the help of a piece of fur, a feather or similar part of this type of animal, into a lifelike facsimile of the depicted animal. This can be, for example, a hawk, owl or raven, a rat, a cat, a badger, a squirrel, a bat, ... The piece of fur, feather, ... is consumed at this stage. The animal has the base stats, speed(s), senses, skills and abilities for its species, but an AC of your spell save DC and 1 hp. 

You have a mental link to the animal and can see through its eyes (or use its other senses) and control its movement while concentrating on it. You cannot use your own senses and control your own body while doing so. The animal can use the caster's Stealth, Perception and other skills it could possibly use (at the DM's discretion) instead of its own when being controlled as such, using the animals stats.

While not actively controlling it, the animal can mentally alert you if it notices anything interesting, out of the ordinary or something happens which you've told it to look out for. You can also, as a bonus action, direct it to go in a specific direction or to follow a specific creature, track or other cue that it can pick up on. 

At the end of the spell, the animal turns back into the carving before crumbling into dust (consuming the material component). You become aware of the last location and what the animal was seeing at that instant when this happens.

The spell can be ended prematurely when it is attacked, if the caster tries to attack with it or at will by the caster. If perceived, the animal can be discerned as a fake on a Perception check against your spell save DC + 2. The animal can also not be used to communicate directly, but can potentially carry a written message.

The carving can be made from any kind of wood and takes at least 5 minutes to prepare. This can be done at any time prior to using the carving in this manner. The carving must also be blessed at an altar dedicated to a deity with a portfolio including either nature, knowledge or tracking. This blessing also takes at least 5 minutes to perform.