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Gleaston - Nr
Ulverston,
Cumbria - LA12 0QH
England
+44-(0)1229-869244
info @ watermill.co.uk
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April 06 - checking out the site |
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| White dot shows nest
location |
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The Mill Birds
- 2008
Lets hope 2008 is
a better year - we now know the female Kestrel was shot
just before laying her eggs last year. Another pair have been using the mill
'holes' for roosting and we hope they will nest there. There has been no Jackdaw
activity, and it is still a little early for the tree sparrows. Watch this
space.
May 2008 update. Fingers are being crossed - we have a pair of
Kestrels frequenting the mill nesting site and showing all the signs of nesting
there.
The tree sparrows haven't nested in the mill wall this year, but we do have
three other pairs nesting elsewhere on the site.
Swallows arrived on 21st March, 2 days earlier than normal, and a pair a well
advanced with nesting in the mill entrance.
2007
We have now housed the cameras in a box fixed to the rear of the
wall which will prevent the chicks from falling out, and placed a
shutter across the rear of the nest so we can work on the camera if needed. The cameras
are better positioned and we have fitted artificial lighting for use during the day to
fill in the effects of the outside daylight.
We are still experimenting with software to give a 1
second picture update on the website instead of the current 2 minutes.
We have installed a camera in the adjacent hole which has been
home to a family of Jackdaws for the last two years, and who nest a
month or so earlier than the Kestrels, so we should have interesting
nest pictures from April through to August.
April 2007
The
kestrels have been back roosting in their hole, the Jackdaws have almost
completed their nest, and a tiny pair of Tree Sparrows have taken residence in a
small hole between them......dangerous living !!!
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Kestrels first nested at the Mill
last year (2005) when the female laid five eggs, all of which hatched and later
flew.
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See 2006 page
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Early April 2007 (Easter)
The Jackdaws have been nest
building frantically, and the Kestrels are around daily 'defending' their home.
The Jackdaws should lay any day now, and the camera is live.;
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27 April - The Jackdaws built their nest, but then left it and tried
to take the Kestrel nest. The Kestrels now seem to have won, and having mated in
the last few days, we expect the female to start sitting eggs very soon.
The Tree Sparrows have hatched and seem to be thriving.
The Swallows arrived as usual on St. George's Day and are quickly establishing
nest sites.
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Other birds seen or heard around the mill are Lesser Whitethroat and Willow
Warblers.
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