Barn Owls

I wonder why? It wasn't a particularly wet summer. Anyone given you an explanation, Oneputt?

Apart from the disease of the femail they believe the reset was starvation.  When at Barleywood the Adults were hunting a lot of the day, certainly up until 10 in the morning and from 3 in the afternoon.

Such a shame, Oneputt, we loved watching the Barn Owls when we stayed at wonderful Barleywood C.L. I've never seen them so close before, anywhere.

Our local Little Owls didn't fare any better this summer, either.

Such a shame. We loved looking out for the ones at Barleywood. Obviously now there's room for another bird/s to enter the area, wonder if one will do so next year.

There are still a couple of Tawny owls about.  Sculthorpe have taken in 4 juvenile Barn Owls which they hope to release in the spring.

There are still a couple of Tawny owls about.  Sculthorpe have taken in 4 juvenile Barn Owls which they hope to release in the spring.

That's good to hear. Perhaps or two will make it over to Barleywood.

I have had 5 Barn Owls fledged from 2 clutches this year - last year there were loads more - opinion here seems to be lack of food - I wonder if we should start breeding their food for them. 

Its believe that the 4 chicks by Barleywood probably died of starvation.  Someone in the area was feeding them but when other birds started to take the food the individual stopped putting out food.  Lesson is if you are feeding them then you must continue.  Be advised though that Owls are protected birds so could get yourself into trouble

My neighbour keeps raptors and has stacks of dead duckling chicks which we fed to my lot a couple of years ago when there was a late clutch (with guidance from experts).  I just wondered how one could encourage more voles etc into the area - there is a lot of cover for them naturally though. 

When we were in Norfolk in July it was lovely to see an Avocet with a chick also a redshank? with chicks, when talking to the the NT wardens they said it had been a good year for ground nesting birds, as because it had been ideal growing conditions there was much better ground cover,so much less predation ,could that have been a problem for the Owls