Sunday, 1 August 2010
1st August 2010
The two owlets are now flying well, but have been returning to the box during the daytime. We suspect that they will leave the box totally, within the next week or so as they become more independent. They now have plenty of time to master their hunting skills before the onset of winter.
Sunday, 18 July 2010
18th July - fingers crossed
The chicks are not always in view, as they can wander out of sight of the camera to the entrance of the box. These two chicks have survived the wet and windy weather this week. Many other owlets have not been so lucky, as recent checks of some nest sites suggest that between a quarter and a third of young Barn Owls have died of starvation over the past week, because the adults were unable to go out hunting in either wet or windy conditions. Even very large chicks at 6/7 weeks old, (same age as these two) have not survived................a very sad state of affairs.
Monday, 12 July 2010
12th July 2010
The two chicks are now six weeks old and appear to be doing well. Two chicks seem to be the normal brood size in the area around this box. Barn Owls in some areas seem to have been affected badly during the cold spell earlier in the year, with the result that they have laid fewer eggs than normal. In a good year Barn Owls will average 4 or so young per brood. Hopefully these two chicks will fledge successfully.
Thursday, 24 June 2010
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