Volunteers are monitoring the peregrine falcon population at the Grade II listed mill as part of a project to boost the birds' numbers in Bradford.
A webcam has been installed on the roof of the Keighley Bus Museum, located opposite the nesting site at Dalton Mills, to monitor the birds that have been nesting there for several years.
The camera shows a live feed of a pair of peregrine falcons building a nest in a chimney and feeding four chicks.
Paul Wheatley, a volunteer with Bradford Urban Wildlife Group, said the peregrines chose the mill site, which was used as a filming location for Peaky Blinders, because the old mill buildings provide an ideal habitat for the birds.
This pair of chicks are raising four young on the Grade II listed Dalton Mills estate [Paul Wheatley].
«"They see a tall building and think, 'That's a great cliff, I'll build a nest there,'" he said.
«"Without thinking, people have created potential nesting sites for peregrine falcons.".
Unlike Lister Mill and Bradford Town Hall, which also have live peregrine falcon cameras, it was not possible to install a camera at the mill because it is derelict and owned by the Crown Estate.
Webcam shows peregrine falcons nesting in the chimney of a crumbling mill [Paul Wheatley]
«"So we went to a kind of plan B and installed a remote camera next door, on the other side of the river, on the roof of the Keighley Bus Museum," Wheatley said.
«"There's a small ledge there, so it's not very easy to see inside the nest, but as the chicks get bigger, you can start to see them on camera.".
«"It will be great to observe them over the next two weeks until they reach full size and get closer to leaving the nest. This will also allow us to keep an eye on them.".
According to the research team, three pairs of peregrine falcons nest in Bradford and one pair in Leeds, in the university's Parkinson building.
«"An interesting connection we have with the peregrine falcons nesting at Parkinson's Tower at the University of Leeds is that the peregrine falcon born in 2019 is a resident male at Lister Mill and breeds there.".
«"He traveled about 10 miles to Bradford to settle there. If you're a peregrine falcon, Bradford is a very attractive place," he said.
«"It has a stunning historical heritage, high-rise buildings, and great nesting sites. More attractive than Leeds.".
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Related links on the Internet
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Bradford Urban Wildlife Conservation Group