Category: Barn Owls

A brief visit from a female barn owl last night. She is ringed so has come from a managed nest but we don’t know where, yet.

Update. On closer inspection we can just make out some of the digits on its ring, which match the adult male from this year. So he’s roosting somewhere else and keeping an eye on the empty nest box.

The two barn owlets have dispersed and the nest box is now empty. A good opportunity to clean it out and service the cameras, all ready for new residents.

The two young owls are now flying well and hunting for themselves. This may well be the last time we see them before they disperse and find new homes.

A few stretching exercises then the two owlets start their night of flying lessons.

Seven weeks old and time for John from the Shropshire Barn Owl Group to come and weigh, measure, ring and undertake an expert assessment of our two owlets. One is male, the other female and both are good weights and healthy, though somewhat grumpy for being disturbed in the middle of their sleep.

The owlets can now jump up and reach the entrance to the nest box to see the wide world for the first time. Not long before they get weighed and measured: more photos to come soon.

The two barn owlets are 35 days (five weeks) old and their proper feathers can be seen growing under the warm fluff and they’re developing the familiar heart-shaped face. In another two weeks we hope the owl expert to come and check them over, and we’ll have a chance to see them properly for the first time.

Only two owlets left but they’re doing well. The spell of rain (barn owls can’t fly in the rain) at night when the little ones were most vulnerable meant a low food supply. But the remaining ones have their downy coats to keep warm so the mother can hunt now too.

Two days later and the fluffballs are getting bigger, but the hunting still isn’t very good with more rain at night.

Still four owlets. Plenty of food too.

By now we may only have three barn owlets. It looks like the mother has rejected the smallest. Not unusual to do this if there isn’t enough food but nature can appear to be cruel at times.

Update: looks like the fourth owlet is OK. A few minutes later the mother turned round and carefully pulled it back under her with her beak.

The mother is busy feeding the four wriggling chicks: see how she is able to control them while holding a field vole (probably) down as she pulls it apart to feed each of them in turn, while having time to have some herself too.