Lincolnshire Barn Owl Project

The camera was installed last Christmas. From mid March the owls were sometimes in the box, but from the beginning of April the female was ever present.

Three eggs were laid.
Egg 1 on 26th April
Egg 2 on 29th April
Egg 3 on 2nd May

A month later the chicks hatched.
Chick 1 on 27th May
Chick 2 on 30th May
Chick 3 on 2nd June

Since then they have had mixed fortunes. The heavy rains on two days in early June meant hunting was difficult. The male didn’t provision the nest as much as he should, leading us to believe he could have another mate in a nest nearby. Somehow, the chicks made it through.
However, on the morning of 16th June, one of the babies was eaten by a sibling. This is not uncommon in Barn Owls.
Later that day, the female and remaining two chicks were ringed under licence.
Soon the chicks will be big enough to be left in the evenings whilst the female hunts as well.