ANOTHER BARN OWL POST.

I appreciate that not everyone agrees with the ringing of birds. I am the holder of a Schedule 1 Licence for the Owls and Owlets that are in the box in our garden from the British Trust for Ornithology. They are asking that if you hold a licence for the box that they have issued, in the case of Barn Owls as they are so scarce, that you have the birds ringed. So on Friday the 16th of June, B.T.O. accredited ringers arrived and we opened up the box to see first hand what secrets it held, and at the end we had three Owlets all playing dead. So Andy placed them all into separate bags and they were handed down ready for ringing. After the birds had been ringed we cleaned the cameras and then returned the Owlets to have some peace and the adults to return and feed them. It has been very hot the last few days and the Owlets are certainly feeling the warmth and when looking on the cameras they are panting with the heat but we are hoping no harm will come to them. 


All the images of the adult birds are taken over a considerable distance and heavily cropped, I also use a hide so as to conceal myself.

A big thank you to Chris and Andy for ringing the birds and to Kate and Rhys for helping prior to ringing in putting the scaffold tower in place.

Adult Female just coming out of Box.

Both the male and female are both hunting to feed the young, she tends to leave the box and return with some food and then stay with the Owlets and lets the male carry on hunting.  

Here returning with what appears to be a vole. 

Not a good  image but you can see two Owlets.

 THE RINGING,

Andy opens up the box for the first time and has a chat with the Owlets. 

First Owlets removed from the box.

And the second.

Third is placed into a bag prior to being lowered down for ringing. 

First Owlet to be Ringed.

Ring No. GN 75630

I always find it amazing how the birds are so calm and totally relaxed.

Second Owlet to be Ringed.

Ring No. GR41961.

Third Owlet to be Ringed.

Ring No.  GR 41962. 

The three all together before being returned into the box.



I hope you have enjoyed your visit as much as I did in the getting of the images. unfortunately I am still not feeling well, but hopefully all will be sorted later in the week.  

OUR BARN OWLS.

Just a quick up date on the Barn Owls and young, she laid six eggs but it looks as if we are up to four Owlets and two non viable eggs we think, this is brilliant and we are over the moon with these birds and still watching them on the television on a regular basis.

We are sure that this pair are different adults to the pair we had previously but still don't appear to be ringed.

I am hoping to feel better by this next week and to be able to get out and about and start to get some images of other birds.

Female Barn Owl.

She just came out of the box and stood on the front watching the world go by, some nights she will have a little fly about but only leaves her precious young for a couple of minutes.

These images are all taken on ISO 8000, and the very last few at  ISO 10000.

Just having a look around the back of the box 

The females are much lighter in colouration and don't have the flecks on the breast feathers.

Male Barn Owl.

Here having delivered a mouse into the box, sits for a few minutes before going away hunting again. This Male is very heavily flecked on the chest. 

Returns with a mouse for the growing young. 

Female Barn Owl.

Having another look out the entrance and a cool down as we have had some very warm and muggy weather. 

Another quick jump out onto the front of the box for a minute and then back into the Owlets.

Male Barn Owl.

Just off hunting again to feed the hungry mouths. By the time I took this image it was getting very dark.

Inside the Nest Box.

Awful image, we are getting some interference from somewhere. Female is on the right and Owlets to the left.

I hope you have enjoyed your visit as much as I did in the getting of the images. Thank you for your visit. If you leave a comment I will always reply.