2024 has proved to be a very difficult year for progressing our nature conservation work. The number of wet days occurring since the start of the year have made volunteer day opportunities to progress our many projects, extremely difficult. More selected project days have been cancelled this year than since the group was formed 20 years ago. With the amount of tasks the group now undertakes having expanded exponentially over this period, keeping up with current seasonal demands has proved frustratingly difficult. We have obviously had to prioritise the completion of our wildlife initiatives to meet species seasonal deadlines above our countryside improvement activities, by capitalising on all available dry days. This has meant a reduction in our time spent at some sites.

With us experiencing access difficulties with our project at Sayers Common Pond due to adjacent building site activity, our attention has been focussed on our other locations. This helped slightly in finding dry days to progress them to meet seasonal demands, but due to the amount of rainfall experienced, did not relieve the overall pressure on us to achieve them.

In January we returned to Talbot Field to undertake some of the site clearance work required to maximise the area’s benefit for nature. The location is used very heavily by members of the public to exercise their dogs and utilise the footpaths through it. It also borders residential properties whose occupants become concerned when spreading brush and scrub begins penetrating their property. Our maintenance of this site therefore, has to balance the nature provision we provide with these other considerations.

 

Neighbours like us to prevent brush and scrub penetrating their gardens by keeping their boundaries clear.

 

A dead silver birch tree discovered in the bordering hedge was also of concern to the neighbour and was later removed by Hassocks Parish Council contractors.

 

The removed tree was becoming a threat to an adjacent greenhouse beyond. 

 

At the beginning of the year we began clearing the fallen branches and twigs from the winter storms.

 

Spreading bramble was cut back in readiness for spring flowers to emerge.

 

All debris was removed and transported to a remote bonfire site for disposal.

 

We then turned our attention to the cleaning and maintenance of all the owl boxes in our barn owl conservation area. This task is one of our most difficult and time consuming of our annual requirements with pressure on us to complete it before the owl breeding season commences. It involves travelling many miles around the area, parking our vehicle at the nearest parking spot, and walking with our ladders and equipment across scores of wet, soggy fields in often freezing cold weather, to each box. It is a task that relies on the dedication of our team of owl volunteers to achieve. Again, the frequency of wet weather made this more difficult than usual.

 

Teams of volunteers braved the soggy ground and freezing conditions to access all remote box locations.

 

This freezing weather activity relies on the dedication of the most committed of our volunteers able to withstand the harsh prevailing winter conditions for long periods of time. Many layers of clothing are required by all involved.

 

 The ground quickly becomes a quagmire where feet and equipment linger.

 

All attending, participate enthusiastically to address the cleaning and maintenance issues.

 

This work is usually accompanied by strong, cold, winds, so hand and body thermal insulation is essential.

 

Usually any barn owl occupying the boxes flies out on our arrival and returns when we have finished.

 

When the maintenance commitment was completed, there followed a massive programme of owl box replacement to remove all boxes damaged by weather or falling branches. This year had been one of the worst experienced for damage and over a dozen boxes required renewal. This presented us with a very heavy bill which we had to fund raise to achieve. We strived to get all replaced before the onset of the owl breeding season so that the owls had good conditions to raise their young in. The frequent wet weather again made this more difficult. We achieved all apart from two. These will be given priority in readiness for next year.

 

Each damaged or rotten box was removed….

 

….and a new one was erected in its place.

 

This work required many hands….

 

….to erect the boxes and transport all equipment over wet fields.

 

This box was discovered blown down after a heavy storm.

 

A new one was purchased and it was quickly replaced.

 

Each team member has a valuable role to play….

 

….to ensure the speedy re-establishment of a well-used barn owl roost.

 

We also maintained all our tawny owl boxes within our conservation area and provided additional ones in suitable locations at the request of landowners.

 

We provided several similar tawny owl boxes throughout our conservation area.

 

With this done, we then turned our attention again to Talbot Field to witness the fruits of our earlier effort to prepare for the early blooming flowers and to provide ongoing attention to the site.

 

On our arrival bluebells and other wildflowers were beginning to capitalise on the cleared ground.

 

 Birds were nesting in the bird boxes and the meadow was becoming a lush, green landscape.

 

Each day more woodland flowers appeared.

 

Meadow areas infected by spreading bramble patches were tackled by our volunteers….

 

….and woodland bramble re-emergence was quickly curtailed.

 

These measures proved very effective….

 

….and we soon were admiring common-spotted orchids….

 

….amongst many other wildflower species.

 

Each species began attracting its own insect following and the area became an asset to nature.

 

A beech tree donated by a parish resident and planted by us was springing to life….

 

….and a wild-service tree purchased by the Parish Council for us to plant began shooting up into a very healthy specimen.

 

Everywhere flowers were growing in colourful patches….

 

….creating opportunities for other species to flourish.

 

In summer this year we returned again to the Talbot Field small nature reserve to address concerns of a resident in an adjacent property, to reduce the width of the bordering hedgerow between his property and the reserve. Volunteers attended and trimmed back some of the growth he was concerned about.

 

With neighbours located close by and members of the public using the footpaths around the area….

 

….our volunteers have to sensitively balance the sometimes conflicting needs.

 

This hedge was reduced in width to address the concerns of a neighbour.

 

When trimmed back it also allowed access to the adjacent path heavily used by dog-walkers.

 

The paths and the areas around the seats provided for public viewing and relaxation are always tended for ease of access.

 

All debris created is disposed of in a set location at the rear of the site….

 

….with attention given to the direction of the wind to ensure the smoke does not create complaints from neighbours.

 

This is one of the many indigenous frogs capitalising on our volunteer effort.

 

Several months later we returned again to begin the Autumn tidying of the site in readiness for next year’s spring flower emergence. On this occasion we were joined by another group of volunteers who occasionally assist us when additional manpower is required.

 

The additional hands proved to be very useful…. 

 

….when combining with our own volunteers.

 

Unwanted spreading tree saplings were quickly removed….

 

….from many parts of the meadow.

 

Bramble spreading outwards from the woodland was cut back.

 

Many weeks were spent tending the needs of Talbot Field this summer to reach a satisfactory conclusion. Between return visits, we turned our attention to Pond Lye Site of Nature Conservation Importance in the northern section of Sayers Common parish. Here we attempted to prepare the site for the later September meadow cut. In the long grass, we tried to expose the huge anthills so that these could be avoided by the volunteer who attends with his tractor and cutter to mow the meadow.

 

The large anthills were not visible and had to be exposed.

 

A rampant patch of ragwort was removed….

 

….to prevent the inevitable spread across the meadow….

 

….as its presence alarms residents of neighbouring properties.

 

The meadow cut then began.

 

The tractor and cutter efficiently tackled the tall growth….

 

….and soon completed the task.

 

Within a short space of time the meadow cut was finished….

 

….and ready for the raking to begin.

 

For this task we were joined again by 50 students from a local college.

 

They quickly began raking up the hay into rows….

 

….which would be later collected up and stacked in piles.

 

This additional help was invaluable….

 

….and allowed a quick conclusion to be achieved.

 

The Woodland, Flora & Fauna Group held many publicity and fund raising events in 2024. We began in April 19th with a group talk given to the Sayers Common Over 60’s Club describing our group work. This was followed on May with our AGM and a talk by Steven Robinson entitled The Wealden Woodland. A week later we attended the Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common AGM where we ran a stall to publicise our work. Two days later we held a similar stall at the Hassocks Parish Council AGM. Volunteers manned the stalls and described the work we do to all interested parties.

In August we held a group public talk with David Ramsden MBE from the Barn Owl Trust as the speaker, enlightening us with his huge knowledge of barn owls. The talk was very well received by the 200 or so people attending. In September we manned a stall at the Hurstpierpoint Super Sunday event to publicise our work and on November 5th a group talk was given in Franklands Village Hall to the NHS Retirement Fellowship giving a review of our work this year. This concluded an exceptionally busy year for us which was in addition to the heavy practical work-load we have had.

 

The group manned a display table at the Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Parish Council AGM….

 

….to publicise the group’s work….

 

….and hopefully recruit more volunteers.

 

Shortly afterwards we repeated this with a display table at Hassocks Parish Council AGM….

 

….with group publicity and volunteer recruitment the main aim.

 

At the end of August our group held a special public talk on barn owls which was extremely well attended.

 

As a prelude to the talk, we presented a group introduction and summary of our own work….

 

….before handing over to our distinguished speaker and barn owl expert, David Ramsden MBE.

 

David captivated the audience with his knowledge of barn owls and their requirements which made the event a huge success.

 

In September we held a group stall at the Hurstpierpoint Super Sunday event.

 

This allowed us to discuss our work with many people….

 

….and recruit more supporters and volunteers.

 

These events are a lot of additional work for an already very busy group to organise….

 

….but provide us with publicity and allows us to promote the cause of nature conservation.

 

Always anxious to promote nature conservation, we recently undertook some work for Albourne Parish Council….

 

….and erected bird boxes within their Millennium Garden.

 

We will, like all other of our wildlife provision boxes, monitor and maintain them to ensure their continuing benefit to the species that occupy them.

 

Between all these activities we have had to fit in our extensive annual wildlife monitoring commitments which also occupy a great deal of our time. These will be described in separate reports later.

This year has been the most successful yet for breeding occupancy in our barn owl boxes. Not only have we had a record number of barn owl young born in our boxes, we have also had a large number of kestrels who are also in decline nationally with only 1 in 3 born surviving beyond 3 months. We also have found evidence of little owl breeding at some of our locations. With results like this, the tortuous winter maintenance schedule involving pulling heavy equipment over many soggy fields to visit, clean and maintain all of the boxes within our area are quickly forgotten.

 

Our demanding winter maintenance schedule to maintain each box within the barn owl conservation area provides the basis for our breeding success.

 

Four barn owl eggs found on an initial breeding survey this summer.

 

Three kestrel eggs found during the same tour around all the boxes.

 

Four little owl eggs found in a tree hole near to a barn owl box.

 

We also check on the large number of tawny owl boxes mounted within woodlands in our conservation area, but unfortunately many of these have been taken over by grey squirrels who constantly inflict structural damage to the boxes, making them far less productive in breeding terms and dramatically shorten the life of the boxes. Despite this, we have continued to provide these boxes in areas that aren’t plagued with a squirrel presence.

 

A tawny owl box mounted in a wooded area.

 

With kestrels and tawny owls beginning their breeding season before the barn owls, our box visits commence at different times. Kestrels tend to favour regular occupancy of specific boxes, so these can be visited a month earlier than the other barn owl boxes along with the tawny owl box checks. This year however, the barn owl boxes that they regularly breed in were not the only ones they occupied, so when their presence was discovered during the later round of barn owl box inspections, many had reached an advanced stage of development. This meant that with their feisty disposition, they would be difficult to deal with to record. It also meant a rapid return to this location, armed with equipment to undertake this recording, was required.

 

Three kestrels found that had reached an advanced stage of growth.

 

We have strong memories of two of us returning quickly to one such location this summer where this had occurred, visiting at 6.30am to catch them before they fledged. We carried ladders and bags of recording equipment across two large fields only to discover that the 5 kestrel chicks had already departed their nest on our arrival. During the long trek back we reflected that the start of this recording session was not the one we had wished for.

 

All boxes in the barn owl conservation area are initially checked in early summer.

 

The first visit to each box establishes whether breeding has occurred within them. On this visit their development progress is noted and a return visit date is calculated to establish the perfect stage of development for ringing and recording them. Ideally this is when they are large enough to sex, measure, weigh and ring them, but not too large so that they are difficult to handle. This is not always easy to establish as barn owls begin incubating their eggs, which can number between two and six, as soon as the first one is laid.

 

An initial clutch of barn owl eggs found this year.

 

Incubation of the eggs lasts for a period of between 18 to 21 days. After 31 to 33 days of incubation, the eggs hatch at a rate of one every 2 to 3 days. The age difference between the oldest and youngest can therefore be up to 3 weeks. This means that within one box all the young are at a different stage of development, so an average age and size has to be determined to calculate the date of the return visit.

 

When the chicks hatch they are mostly bald and with eyes tightly shut. They need the attention of the parent to keep them warm until they produce sufficient down to maintain their own body temperature.

 

The difference in sizes can be a problem for the youngest chick, for in times of food scarcity they are often consumed by their larger siblings. In many cases we find that in a box initially housing 6 youngsters, the return visit finds that only a couple are remaining with no sign of the others. This can be due to predation by an external species but usually is the result of a larger, hungry sibling.

 

A typical variation in barn owl sizes found in one box this year. 

 

Five young kestrels found in a barn owl box this year nearing the preferred size for recording them.

 

These breeding visits are undertaken by trained and qualified permit holders who undertake nest site recording and occupant ringing for most of the summer from May until August. Barn owls are a Schedule 1 protected species and must only be disturbed by trained people holding the required certification to ensure their continuing welfare. Other volunteers often join them to assist with the activity and help with equipment carrying.

 

The parent barn owls usually detect our approach on these initial visits and fly out of the box before our inspection.

 

With the number of repeat visits required to achieve this monitoring, many volunteers are called upon to form the recording teams. So successful have we been with this project since we began in 2007, that barn owls are no longer on the endangered species list, but instead are now regularly seen in our local countryside. It has been a very hard and time consuming project but one that has made all the effort justified.

 

A barn owl flying along a field hedgerow from a nearby box.

 

Another one who chose to leave before we arrived at its nest box.

 

All young barn owls and kestrels found this year were duly ringed and recorded with the results submitted to the national British Trust for Ornithology. Pictures of some of the recording activity encounters are included below.

 

On the initial inspection we make no attempt to record the adults, although their presence and location are noted.

 

Some remain in the box until we are about to open the door. In these cases we often get covered in excrement as they invariably discharge themselves when suddenly flying out.

 

When the barn owl chicks are just hatched, they are very vulnerable as seen here.

 

They huddle together for warmth and security.

 

Similarly kestrels find safety and increased temperature in a group. 

 

On odd occasions we find boxes containing late developing young jackdaws. Not our favourite discovery due to the considerable mess their mud and twig nest building creates inside, but we leave them undisturbed to continue their development.

 

This box contained the ideal result we seek. Four strong and healthy barn owl chicks advancing towards adulthood and the perfect size to record.

 

These were kestrels we returned to ring and record after the initial visit. They have just been gently returned to their box after having had identification rings attached to their legs.

 

Similarly, recorded barn owls are carefully returned to their nest box after ringing. They always gather together when they initially are placed back in their home. 

 

They soon perk up however, when we close the door.

 

The ringing and recording visits are the best time for us…..

 

….as this is the time we can get close enough to examine them to make sure they are healthy and happy.

 

It also allows us to appreciate the beauty of this wonderful species.

 

This is the first time most of them have seen the world outside their box….

 

.…so they gaze around absorbing the new sights and sounds.

 

Then we return them to the secure environment they are familiar with.

 

Kestrels undergo this experience too….

 

….and after being sensitively ringed and recorded are also place back in the safety of their boxes.

 

Each small barn owl is gently weighed, measured, sexed and their details recorded.

 

The activity allows each to have their health checked to ensure they have the best chance of fledging.

 

This time spent with each owl is precious to the recording team and provides a gratifying return for the conservation effort expended.

 

Each downy handful held at the recording stage will hopefully develop into a magnificent  adult….  

 

 ….and eventually produce young of its own to further increase the barn owl population in our surrounding countryside.

 

It is this objective that drives our project to help all these wonderful creatures in a diminishing countryside landscape that is progressively threatening their survival by robbing them of the habitat they need to exist. Without this support they would probably be on the verge of extinction, as are so many other species currently.

The Woodland, Flora & Fauna Group have organised a special public talk by the renowned author and leading authority on barn owls, David Ramsden, MBE from the Barn Owl Trust.

It will take place on Thursday 29th August at 7.30 pm in the Main Hall at Hurstpierpoint Village Centre, Trinity Road, Hurstpierpoint, BN6 9UY.

David Ramsden is one of the leading representatives of the nationally acclaimed owl conservation organisation, the Barn Owl Trust. His talk entitled ‘Restoring the Balance’  will provide an insight into the world of one of the most beautiful protected species, the barn owl, and the efforts his organisation makes to ensure their ongoing survival.

The Barn Owl Trust has been an inspiration to many local organisations across the country, including The Woodland, Flora & Fauna Group, and their guidance in helping us to increase the barn owl population of Mid Sussex has been invaluable. Come and hear all about this wonderful species directly from one of Great Britain’s leading experts and benefit from his considerable knowledge and expertise.

These opportunities do not come very often so please join us to hear his talk. It will immediately follow a brief introduction by The Woodland, Flora & Fauna Group, the organisers of the evening, who use these events with distinguished speakers to generate any voluntary donations people can spare to support their nature conservation work around Mid Sussex. The natural world is struggling to survive and needs all the help it can get, so any help received is invaluable.

Entry is free and all are welcome. There is a car park opposite the building.

We hope you can make it and look forward to seeing you there. Feel free to bring any interested family members or friends.

 

 

 

2023 was an abysmal year for undertaking wildlife checks in the latter months. These checks were required to be undertaken on dry days but the weather proved to be so changeable that they couldn’t be planned very far ahead. Dry windows suddenly emerged in a persistently wet forecast and arrangements to undertake them had to be made hastily. This led to problems finding volunteer help to form the teams at short notice. It also made it difficult to run them concurrently with our major site volunteer days as they competed against each other for the help required. This problematic weather pattern affected our 2023 bat survey in late summer as we not only experienced continuously wet days but also periods of high winds, two of the least favourable elements to encourage bat box occupancy. The weather also cooled dramatically adding another negative factor to the activity.

The bat box checks were therefore commenced with very low expectations of finding any bat occupants. It had a big impact on our results in terms of numbers of different species found but proved not to be a complete waste of effort as many boxes showed evidence of occupancy at some time even if they did not contain bats at the time of the survey. The results we achieved therefore, were disappointing compared to other years but showed us that occupancy overall was being maintained. Some of the results are shown below.

 

Volunteers capitalise on dry intervals to undertake the bat box surveys.

 

Aware of the short duration of each dry opportunity….

 

….the inspections were progressed as speedily as possible.

 

Every box in the wide area of local countryside was carefully inspected and the occupants recorded.

 

Team members worked together….

 

….to transport ladders over the long distances it was necessary to travel.

 

At the end of the final woodland survey and the last record is entered, the team members relaxed.  

 

Due to the unfavourable weather conditions…. 

 

….only the hardy Common and Soprano Pipistrelles were found in the majority of boxes.

 

Most boxes however, were found to be full of droppings….

 

….indicating that they had been well-used prior to the onset of the bad weather.

 

Bats were present only in ones and twos in many of the boxes….

 

….making it initially appear their numbers were down on previous years.

 

Other boxes however, told a different story….

 

….and were found to contain clusters of up to seven.

 

This was still less than previous years when groups up to a dozen were often found.

 

The number of boxes occupied were similar to recent years….

 

…but the variety of species normally found….

 

….were sadly lacking.

 

It is hoped that the next season’s weather is significantly better and the number of species found are greater and include the rarer ones we have previously found in our boxes. The results overall were however, higher than we had anticipated in such unfavourable conditions.

 

Our dormouse checks this year followed a similar pattern but with much more warm, dry weather to capitalise on. We visited all sites at intervals from April until November. The checks revealed no dormice in residence in any of our boxes this year. This followed a similar national trend, as revealed in the People’s Trust for Endangered Species 2023 report on the state of Britain’s dormice. This document highlighted an alarming progressive decline in the country’s hazel dormouse population which since 2000 had seen a reduction of 70% in total numbers. This reduction which has been tracked by the National Dormouse Monitoring Programme into which our results are fed, was found to be mainly due to loss and degradation of natural habitat, climate change and less effective management being applied to hedgerows and woodlands. Despite these alarming figures, it is not a completely lost cause, as conservation work continues with volunteers and partner groups in an attempt to combat it. Habitat restoration and re-introduction of dormice in selected areas they have previously completely disappeared from is being attempted nationally, to give the species as much help as possible to survive. 

All our dormouse box locations are in areas where we have previously seen them or detected a presence, so we will continue with our efforts in the hope of an improvement in our results. Our results this year indicated a growing wood mouse presence with the early season addition of many blue tit’s and great tit’s nests. The following pictures illustrate some of our findings.

 

The boxes were visited at monthly intervals when possible.

 

Occupancy of each was recorded. This one contained one of the many resident wood mice found. 

 

These inspections were undertaken by working parties of licensed volunteers.

 

Each volunteer undertook a different role to make the operation proceed as smoothly as possible.

 

This box contained a wood mouse nest.

 

This one contained a nest of birds eggs.

 

A devoted bluetit mother remained firmly on her eggs in this box. She was disturbed as little as possible.

 

 This box contained young chicks who were at a more advanced stage and obviously very hungry.

 

Young birds were found in many of the boxes in early summer.

 

These eight great tit youngsters were almost fully feathered. Once all birds nests were emptied after the birds had fledged, the nesting debris was removed so that they were available for dormouse occupancy again.

 

Inspections carried out in mid summer after the birds had vacated the boxes, found wood mice had moved into many of them.

 

Again, the occupants were treated delicately with as little disturbance as possible.

 

All boxes containing food stores were left intact to benefit the breeding mice.

 

Each member of the team worked together to ensure inspections were carried out as efficiently as possible.

 

This mouse was found having a meal in a food store.

 

Each finding was recorded….

 

….to create a comprehensive annual record of everything found.

 

Inspections undertaken at the end of the season found an increasing number of boxes occupied by wood mice….

 

….with a large number utilised for food storage….

 

….and new nests….

 

….to ensure the mice successfully survived the imminent winter conditions.

 

Once the final check was completed all results were collated and the data forwarded to the national database.

Every year we visit all our barn owl boxes at least twice in a year. The first to clean out and maintain each box and the second to return in the breeding season to check whether any owls have produced eggs or young in them. The first visit is undertaken in the winter months in less than pleasant weather and the activity lasts for many months due to the amount of work that is required.

 

The barn owl boxes are mounted in suitable locations across the owl conservation area.

 

The second is in the early summer and is always far more pleasurable. It is on this visit we see a result for all the hard work previously undertaken. It involves transporting and carrying a ladder around the scores of boxes we are required to visit in our barn owl conservation area and carefully checking inside for any young produced.

 

Each box is visited to check if breeding has occurred.

 

With the birds being classified as a Schedule One Protected Species, the person checking has to be a qualified, registered permit holder by law. The discovery of young is very rewarding as we peer into each box’s dark interior. If young birds are present we establish their stage of development and record it. With the original batch of eggs usually hatching progressively over a three week period there is often a staged difference in their achieved growth.

 

Eggs found with the first one already hatched.

 

It then has to be calculated when the average brood size will be ready to record sex, age and have legs large enough to accept an identification ring. This is then noted and a return visit is scheduled to undertake the task.

Having established a presence, intermediate return visits are undertaken to ensure their ongoing welfare until they fledge successfully. This captures any reduction in the number of chicks in the brood occurring as they develop, or any poor health or other condition that might threaten their survival. Often in times of food shortage, the largest chick can consume the smallest one to ensure the survival of the fittest. On occasions, previously healthy developing birds can be found dead, either singly or collectively, or missing completely due to predation.

 

This picture shows two healthy chicks found on an initial inspection. On the next visit they were found to have been predated and had vanished without trace. 

 

Deaths can also sometimes be attributed to disease or poisoning. The poisoning can occur if the prey the parent birds catch for them have been subjected to herbicide spraying in fields where the mice or voles reside, or vermin poisons to reduce a pest presence. Wherever possible a cause of death is sought.

 

Two dead partly grown barn owl chicks found in a box situated in a meadow that had recently been sprayed with herbicide by the landowner to remove ragwort.

 

The stage of growth the young have reached varies from box to box. The checks are undertaken in a short space of time but the young found can vary from eggs to very large youngsters almost ready to fledge. This means that the timings of the return visits to record and ring them are spread over many weeks to catch them at the optimum stage of growth when they are large enough for recording but not too large to be difficult to handle. The curved talons on the bigger youngsters are often identical to those of their parents, and once embedded in the flesh of your hand are difficult to remove. Thus, the preferred size is opted for where possible. Whatever stage they have reached, they are always handled very sensitively with minimum distress being caused. They are gently returned to the safety of their boxes afterwards.

 

Each young barn owl is handled very sensitively and gently returned to its box when recording is completed.

 

This year’s results for the number of broods found in our barn owl conservation area were remarkably high and so took many weeks to monitor and record. This success is due mainly to the care and attention we give to our boxes and the welfare of the birds, and the plentiful availability of the prey they rely on. The prey numbers can vary from year to year depending on seasonal weather, and owl breeding numbers tend to fluctuate to match it. The more prey available, the larger the broods generally are. With each of our boxes positioned in areas with suitable surrounding habitat to readily provide prey, the good results we experienced this year reflect that all conditions were favourable.

 

One of the boxes found where voles caught by the parent birds at night were left to sustain the youngsters during the day.

 

Owls tend to mate for life and select a home range to live in. There is a one to four kilometre radius barn owl requirement around each box for different times of the year depending on food availability. There can be two or three boxes in this range which they frequent regularly. Once a barn owl has established a home range, it will usually remain there for the rest of its life with its mate, as they are very faithful to each other and their area.

Box selection for breeding depends on them selecting the most suitable for their needs in any given year, but they generally use one or two. It is important that barn owls stay in one area so that they can memorise their favoured roost sites, the best hunting places, and the clear flight paths that connect them. These flight paths are important so that they don’t fly into anything in the darkness which is their favoured time for hunting. It can also be critical for their survival in the winter or other times of food shortage, and especially when they have young to feed.

 

Boxes utilised regularly by barn owls within their home range.

 

This makes the surrounding countryside of paramount importance to provide adequate foraging to owl populations and why development incursions into this home range not only displaces roosting sites, but destroys the habitat that is so vital for their survival. We are constantly having to represent such countryside interests in all greenfield development proposals for these reasons. Representing the interests of the owls is vital to maintaining their populations, as their future is badly threatened by the  steadily increasing loss of natural environment.

 

Another swathe of vital greenfield habitat utilised by foraging barn owls in our conservation area is lost to development.

 

Our barn owl conservation area has been expanded many times to off-set some of this damage and now encompasses most of southern Mid Sussex and adjacent settlements. This expanded area causes us a tremendous effort to maintain the boxes over the vast distances we are required to travel, but at least we are successfully sustaining their population. The owls within our conservation area are flourishing and this is reflected in this year’s results. Some of these results are illustrated below.

 

One of the first boxes visited this summer found these three occupants. Note the difference in their stages of development.

 

The next box had four very young barn owl chicks in.

 

On the same day this box was found with just a single but very healthy occupant.

 

Another box visited that day had one unhatched egg and four youngsters of varying sizes.

 

This box had two chicks occupying one side….

 

….and two on the other side, making a grand total of four very healthy youngsters.

 

One to four owls were found in most of our breeding boxes this year.

 

It has been one of our most successful years for young owl occupation of our boxes to date….

 

….with the majority of box locations visited revealing yet another family of barn owl chicks.

 

The age of each chick was recorded on the first visit….

 

….and an estimate was made of timing of the return visit to record them.

 

Due to the considerable variation in the ages of the youngsters found….

 

.…the sequence of return visits to record them at the required size….

 

….meant that the huge owl conservation area was required to be criss-crossed many times over several weeks.

 

This ensured that they were all dealt with at a stage they had grown sufficiently to be able to accurately record sex, development and age…. 

 

….whilst still being of a size that could easily be handled.

 

Even on the first visit some chicks were small, cute and downy….

 

….while others were already large enough to be dealt with immediately.  

 

For these larger birds a very quick return was made.

 

Not all owls were pleased to see us on the second visit and were determined not to co-operate….

 

….but the authorised team gently took charge and each was meticulously recorded with an identification ring placed on its leg.

 

The team was formed of a sufficient number of people to carry all the equipment required over the large distances across fields.

 

In some boxes we found a number were almost full size and ready to fledge.

 

The larger the birds found, the more difficult they were to handle, but they were all recorded in the same way…. 

 

….but with a greater respect being given to their sharp talons.

 

The smaller chicks were more easily dealt with….

 

….and seemed to appreciate the smart leg bracelet we fitted.

 

When recording had finished, they were carefully placed back into their respective boxes.

 

It was ensured that all the birds were completely settled before we departed. 

 

This one had its plumage almost completely in place, but still retained an amount of down beneath.

 

These siblings demonstrated their staggered development due to progressive egg hatching, with the oldest on the left and the youngest on the right.

 

On their return to the boxes, they usually scurried to the furthest corner….

 

….a little unsure if they were to be disturbed further….

 

….or whether they could once again relax.

 

They are without doubt one of the most beautiful of all the birds in our local countryside….

 

….and worthy of the considerable effort we expend to sustain their population.

 

We engage fully with all landowners within our conservation area and provide any help or advice they seek so that we can jointly safeguard the interests of our local barn owl population. We are very grateful to them for their continuing support for our conservation effort and to our group volunteers who willingly form the teams to allow us to undertake the large amount of work required to meet their needs. Without this effort and support, the future of the barn owl would be severely threatened.