Sparrowhawk Island
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About
Based in a wood in Cheshire, these cameras follow every aspect of the Sparrowhawk’s life; from nesting to feeding time.
The seven cameras are dedicated to the Sparrowhawk's activities and are often moved to the best position of current action. They offer an insightful and engaging opportunity to view the day to day activities of these rare birds.
Latest news:
Since the beginning of November the male Sparrowhawk has been back and guarding his territory from the threat of other male intruders. He is busy trying to attract a female which joined him on November the 12th; we are hopeful they will nest here again as they were disturbed this year by construction of a new bridge on the island, it seems promising as the male is here every day.
He should chose a nest site by the end of December and then start construction of nest, it usually takes about 4 months to build, and construction usually takes place at first light and in the afternoon. Keep an eye on the camera as you should see a lot of courtship taking place!
Sparrowhawk eggs are laid at the beginning of May and juveniles leave the wood at the end of August.
Announcements
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Content for New website ZooVueIf you don't know we are launching ZooVue this week and we are after any photos or videos of Animals please. ZooVue is all about conservation.Sun, 11/12/2011 - 09:50
Comments
TAWNY OWLS
tawny owls been quiet past few days,but mated the other night strange ive not seen them past few days.
Mating Clip, http://vimeo.com/35803441
a male hawk been about past few days but dont think this would disturb the owls i think he is more cautious of them. regards Dave
Happy New Year
Hello Dave and all my friends on this site.
Dave, I thought there is a legal right for tenants to have the first refusal on their property when it is about to be sold. No doubt you are taking professional advice.
I hope that 2012 will be a good year for us all.
Pen2
Now that would be a very sad day.
Dave, I just can't seem to believe that the waterways would just kick you out. I know what I would like to call them as this is your life and I should think that all the other people that look in on your cams would be devastated as I for one regularly look in on them. I do hope and fingers crossed that the new owners allow you all to stay as sitting tenants. Please it may be illegal what they intend on doing, so it might pay to see a solicitor for some legal advice.
Mick
Happy new year all/News
happy new year all
plenty of songbirds about but hawks quiet apart from the odd visit each day they are not settled in copse.
fem fighting with owls weeks back not seen her since not a good sign, 2011 not a great year waterways sold all houses on the island recently in a auction,they would not offer them to us tenants
so we are waiting to see if investers bought ,if private buyers have bought we have 8 weeks notice to leave.
so sparrowhawk island will close,so a tense wait untill end of january to see if we are homeless or not hopefull its investers who may keep us on as tenents.
hope you guys have had a better year. Regards Dave.
Hi Dave Good to hear from you
Hi Dave
Good to hear from you again. Happy New Year to you and your family, but have to say its looking a bit tense for you. I know from getting to know you a little that you would be gutted if you had to leave the island after all the hard work you have put in there. Hopefully everything will work out ok. I always thought that sitting tenants had to be given first option. I for one would miss this site terribly. I love watching the birds, its a whole new learning experience for me. Picked up loads of good tips and by this have many more birds in my own garden now than i used to have. Thanks Dave, my thoughts and good wishes are with you. Sue
The Tawny Owls nest
Dave, Is that a forty gallon drum I saw a Tawny Owl at today, the reason I mention it is because many years ago I also put a forty gallon drum in an old oak tree near Blackbush air field in north Hampshire and had Tawny Owls nesting in it early spring then when they finished a Stock Dove used to nest in it each year. I cut out one half of the end and tied the tank to a branch but making sure that it was well wedged in the branches before tying. I originally put it up to attract Kestrels as it was facing out into a farmers field but none took the offer.
Update
Greetings Dave,everyone, its been very quiet for some time now,with nothing much worth reporting since the end of July.
Three pairs of hawks fledged successfully with 3 chicks each. I don't know if you remember about me telling you about one of the pair of hawks I was watching not returning one year Dave, but I have been watching your owls and something rang a bell in the head. I am not saying this was one of the reason yours went awl but you could check your records and see. I checked back in my files on the dates mine went missing, and what do you know, the dates coincided with a pair of tawny's turning up at the same time very close to where my hawks have been nesting. I am not saying this was the reason for it, but its worth considering all the same. One bit of good news, my local male hawk tuned up this morning, I got a lot of good pics of him as per normal 33 in all. I saw mr fox had his early Christmas dinner of pheasant this morning, I hid the evidence, just in case you know who found it first. it starts with g and ends with r, nod nod ,wink wink.
All the best Dave. David.
Hi david i did think it may
Hi david
i did think it may disturb them, the owls always been close bye but not in the copse they roost where hawks use to roost but cant realy disturb them.
your hawks back at about right time mine is late if they are going return but there is some visiting and flying around a lot fingers crossed.nice to hear yours did ok.
Dave
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waterways
Hi guys
thanks for kind comments,sorry for late reply been away all week just back,when i first moved here 11 years ago i kept asking waterways to sell but they said they will never sell them because theres no access you have to walk a eighth of a mile to your house no car access, so all my cash went on setting up SPiland and moving in here.
2 years ago they had lots of funding stoped,and they stoped renewing our lease i thought then ,something not right,they then as you know got lottery funding for a million pound bridge on to the island once it was done they decided to sell.
but would not offer them to us tenents,we got a morgage in place with help off family,but as you know our bid needs to be accepted before morgage lenders come do there survey to see if the property is worth the monies.
waterways would not pull it out of the auction to do this and it sold for 27000 pounds less than our offer we did not have cash to buy at auction.
chris packham and other film makers contacted the big waterway london bosses explaining all about my work here but were not bothered,lets hope its a invester and he may turn it around for a quick profit.
Regards Dave.