Wildlife at Pakenham Water Mill
The Water Mill is a wonderful haven for wildlife and the rear of the mill is an idyllic and tranquil setting where you can walk, sit and enjoy a cup of tea and cake and watch the swans on the millpool, see a variety of garden birds, the sudden flash of bright blue and orange of a kingfisher as it darts by, moorhens, coots and ducks, dragonflies and damselflies dancing on the water and if you are very lucky, you may catch a glimpse of a water vole along the banks of the millstream.
New for 2010
Two of the mill volunteers who share a joint interest and love of the local wildlife decided to create a small wildlife area in the grounds of the Mill. Wild flowers such as ox-eye daisies and foxgloves have been planted and a wild flower area will be left undisturbed for the butterflies and bees. We also hope to create a small Nature Trail in the grounds this year for our younger visitors.
Scouts get involved
More recently, the local Scouts group at Ixworth have been involved in helping out at the Mill and they have kindly made several bat boxes for us which have been put up in some of the mature trees. They have also helped to create a dead hedge that will be beneficial for wildlife. With the aid of bat detectors and torches in the summer evenings, we have found at least three species of bat, including Noctule and Pipistrelle roosting and feeding in the areas of the outbuildings and brown long eared bats in the mill itself. The Ixworth Scouts will be coming again soon to help us clear the debris from recently coppiced trees and shrubs and hopefully put up some bird boxes and create a rustic seating area.
A New Home for Owls
A local retired carpenter has kindly made us a new owl box which has now been installed at the top of the mill after taking out a very old and messy box that housed a nest of stock doves last September. It is now hoped that the local owl population will notice it once more and take up residence and raise a family. Many years ago it was used quite regularly by kestrels and tawny owls with the young fledging successfully.