Thursday 28/11/24  When we arrived at the mill we saw several Moorhens eating fallen seed under the feeders. Howard brought cardboard boxes and packing paper as he has just moved house, we used some to get a fire going in the incinerator to burn cuttings and debris. I showed Howard the Bee box we made a few weeks ago.

The recent storm has blown the Barn Owl box, which Jackdaws nested in, off its mountings and its resting on some branches. I switched on the nest camera system to test the camera inside the box which is still working. Our ladder is not long enough to reach the box and we’re a bit too old to climb up in trees.

Emma walked down with her baby Grandson Ivor, he was looking around at what was going on, we think he might be a potential volunteer in a few years. Emma then walked back to Beryl’s house with Ivor. Emma and David have offered to retrieve the Owl box from the tree at the weekend, David cleared out this box in March. 

It was frosty so we used paper Howard brought to light the fire in the wagon. Eddie brought 3 Butchers sausage rolls, we heated them in the oven for lunch which we all enjoyed. After tea and a chat in the wagon, Howard had to leave to empty his storage unit in Pentney, he took one of the KL Magazines to read the article about the mill.

We have visitors coming next week so I put the display panel from the open days out on Howard’s table and arranged some other exhibits on the grindstone table next to it including an Anchor Strap from the staunch found in the river. I tidied the visitor centre.

We filled up the bird food, the storm had blown the long seed feeder into the river, so I got a rake to fish it out and put it by the fire to dry. Eddie found another seed feeder on the ground, the string had broken so he repaired it, refilled it and hung it back in the tree. We saw Blue Tits eating peanuts straight away.

On our way back along the riverside track we saw a Swan in the river and we got a good view of the sun behind a line of trees over misty fields on the other side of the river. My wife Jan has started researching bone mill employees, the first two are now on the website, this will be printed for display at the next open days.

Thursday 5/12/2024  Alan brought Ken to see the mill and our exhibits. Alan visited in the early days, then with his rambling group and again recently. Alan arranged the visit as he knew Ken would be interested as he used to be a Museum Curator. Eddie put our information signs by the various features and brought us tea, coffee and biscuits. I showed Alan and Ken around the site including displays and finds in the visitor centre. Ken asked about our railway wagon so we went in and saw the picture of the wagon before it was restored. Ken gave us a donation and they both walked back.

David and Emma removed the Owl box from the tree at the weekend as it was resting between branches and would have fallen, so I put on goggles and a mask and cleared out the old Jackdaws nest and put the debris in the incinerator ready to burn. Eddie removed the broken sheet metal fittings and replaced them with sturdy wooden planks for holding the box to the tree trunk.

Ryan joined us at mid-day and climbed the ladder to see if he could fix the Owl box back in the tree, but it was not possible to carry the box safely up the ladder, so he sealed off the camera connection cable in the tree with a bag and cable ties so the plug doesn't get wet. We have until Spring to fit the box when birds start nesting again. We need to pull it into the tree on a rope like we did when it was installed. See UPDATE.

We had a leak on our gas stove hose as it was cracked and we noticed the production date was 2018, they should be replaced every 5 years. We did a temporary repair two weeks ago but I ordered a new hose which we fitted today. We installed all the fittings, tightened the hose clips and tested for leaks, then made a cup of tea.

Three Cygnets were in the river next to the mill for most of the day. Eddie filled the bird feeders and put up fat filled Coconuts that Beryl gave us today. When we got back to The Maltings we saw an Egret fly up from the river over the field.

Graham Bartlett  

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