Heronwatch gets state of the art cameras offering clear views of Moscow Island nests. A local fundraising effort made it possible.
The town raised money to make this happen and got £35,000 to replace the old cameras. The Heronwatch project has been around for over 30 years and this camera upgrade is a big win for Ellesmere. People can watch the birds during breeding season, which lasts from February to mid-May.
The mayor, Graham Hutchinson, helped open the new system alongside Josie Owen from a bird group. She said raising the money was amazing and that the project is excellent for science. She added that it’s also fun to watch, as these cameras capture details telescopes can’t and no other system is this good.
Volunteers watch the cameras and tell visitors about herons, and Hutchinson called the information captured by the cameras “special”. He thanked Heronwatch volunteers for their work, and said they deserved praise for the camera upgrade, as it helps the local economy, too.
Edward Bevan is in charge of Heronwatch and thanked everyone for their support by donating. He stated that people gave over £35,000 and were generous from everywhere, allowing them to also secure £10,000 from Shropshire Council. Now they will see great heron pictures and are excited to share them with visitors.