In my last guest blog post, I talked about this year’s star species that were caught on camera as part of the Wings over the Brecks project. I am pleased to say that the goshawk chick, named Boudica, successfully fledged, so hopefully we will see her again some day with young of her own.
Image- goshawk chick.
The two stone-curlew chicks from our Weeting Heath nest camera (or sock cam!) successfully fledged on the 25 June and can still be seen from the reserve hides. We are keeping our fingers crossed that they stay safe and make their migration journey to their overwintering grounds in southern Africa or northern Europe. The Weeting Heath team are now looking to move the nest camera to another pair, so if all goes well; we should have some more live on the nest footage set up soon.
Image stone-curlew chicks by Sophie Harrison, summer Warden at Weeting Heath
It is now time for more good news- on Monday last week, the team set up a nest camera on another project species- one of the ghastly goatsuckers in the forest (or the nightjar!). Thanks to the nest spotting abilities of volunteer, Bernard Pleasance and the BTO, a female on nest was found. The cable has now been set up and we now have live footage streaming to High Lodge in their cafe. Hopefully, this footage should stream for the next couple of weeks, and should capture the chicks hatching and fledging. So next time you are at High Lodge, why not pop into the cafe for a sneak peak into the lives of one of the weirdest sounding night hunting creatures in the Brecks.
Image- nightjar caught on camera by Tom Hyde, Forestry Commission.
At the end of this month, we are hoping to secure footage of an aerobatic hunter most of you will be familiar with at Lakenheath Fen- the hobby. So watch this space for even more fascinating footage!
The Wings over the Brecks project is part of the Heritage Lottery funded landscape partnership scheme, Breaking New Ground. Together the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, RSPB, Forestry Commission and the BTO are working to deliver this project. To find out more check out- www.breakingnewground.org.uk/our-projects/a-home-to-many/wings-over-the-brecks/ Alternatively, you can ring 01842 753732 or e-mail: thebrecks@rspb.org.uk