The ‘Welcome’ sign above the visitor centre has been taken literally by a couple of swallows as volunteer, Allan Dawson, explained:
‘Every year the same pair of swallows return to this spot and make their home right above our front door. Last year they had one brood of four chicks which strained our necks to see.
This year, we thought we’d keep a closer eye on them by setting up a camera link and transmitting the images onto one of the screens in the visitor centre.‘
So armed with metres of wire and a small camera , Allan spent a tricky morning balancing on a step ladder fitting the camera then getting the angle and focus just right.
We’ll now be tuning in to our very own swallow soap opera every day as the birds bill and coo and get ready for their new family to arrive.
Allan added, ‘ We’ve dug over a patch of ground nearby and we’re keeping it well watered so there’ll be mud enough for the birds to keep their nest ship-shape’.
The team has also put up some terracotta nests to encourage more swallows to take up residence close by.
We’ll be posting images from ‘swallow- cam’ on our Facebook page.
The camera being installed.
The swallows sitting on it instead of in front of it.
Education Officer Steve Race showing the local RSPB Wildlife Explorers group the nest.