Our year began as normal, with our attention focussed on maintaining our huge installation of barn owl and tawny owl boxes which are installed throughout Southern Mid Sussex. This year the weather was unusually wet for the first few months of 2025 and finding dry intervals in which we could carry out this work were few and far between. Often we had to resort to snatching at any moving dry interval that appeared, and try to recruit available volunteers to capitalise on it.

 

This made the exercise a prolonged one, and one which was subjected to increasing pressure to get it completed before the breeding season in late spring. When the owls begin breeding, we have to cease any maintenance work so that they are not disturbed.

 

The maintenance task is a hard one, and one that involves transporting considerable equipment and ladders on a hand-cart across wet and soggy fields for great distances. For this terrain just walking is not easy, and pulling this heavy weight requires a team of volunteers to achieve.

 

 Each site is visited…..

 

….and every box is cleaned out and maintained.

 

The amount of cleaning out required…..

 

….depends on who has occupied it. This one had been utilised by visiting hornets. If squirrels or jackdaws have nested in them, a major effort is required to clear the resulting debris which can completely fill the whole box.

 

Usually, any occupying barn owl flies out as we erect the ladder.

 The winter weather can be very cold with biting winds. It therefore relies on dedicated volunteers to undertake it.  

 

Each person fulfils an interlocking role to ensure the work is completed as quickly as possible.

 

The team visiting this site were not prepared for their findings in this box.

 

The whole farm had been subjected to flailing to remove lower branches on every tree to give clearance to large farm machinery. Note the ripped branches remaining around the box.

 

Although this clearance had missed the box, the regular pair of owls that had been roosting inside…..

 

….had been so traumatised that they had both died. The bodies were sent for analysis and confirmed this cause of death. This was such a tragic waste of a healthy, breeding pair of barn owls, but one that typifies the many hazards facing these beautiful creatures in their fight for survival, despite all our efforts.

 

As only one person can be working up the ladder at any time at each location….

 

….all other members of the team anticipate their next requirement and are ready to hand this up to them.  

 

This allows the task to be completed more quickly, and reduces the amount of time anybody has to stand around waiting for their next role to be performed. In the bleak mid-winter this is obviously of benefit to all.

 

Every box is sited in different terrain, and all team members have to be aware of the requirements for safe working, and ensure all items of equipment to facilitate this are transported to every location.

 

Much work is required to ensure the boxes are maintained in the best condition. We are therefore regularly disheartened when squirrels occupy the boxes, and reduce them to the condition of this tawny owl box pictured above, with their constant gnawing. It also cost us a lot of money for replacements.

 

When the maintenance was finally finished we then had to install all boxes requiring renewal through deterioration or damage, and those requested by many landowners following our Special Public Talk given by David Ramsden of the Barn Owl Trust last year. Surveys were undertaken by our group for the requested new boxes, but only sites that were compatible with the requirements of owls in terms of surrounding terrain, their ongoing welfare and roosting preferences were selected. No boxes were erected where these parameters were not met, as maximising the survival prospects for these species are paramount in our consideration. All were thanked for their kind gestures of offers of support for owls regardless of the outcome.

The installation work started at a location in Mid Sussex where barn owl eggs had been found last year in a box location which was to be unknowingly compromised by unanticipated activity in the area. This activity had unfortunately resulted in the mother abandoning the nest, causing the eggs to perish. With the activity proving increasingly likely to be repeated, agreement was reached with the landowner for the affected two boxes to be re-located in a more suitable location nearby. This was undertaken by a team of group volunteers before this year’s breeding season, with a lot of valued support from the landowner. We are hopeful that the new location will be perfect for any future breeding to take place without any disturbance.

 

These were the four barn owl eggs that had been abandoned by the mother last year in one of the boxes we subsequently moved before this year’s breeding season.

 

The next site was a new location requested for us to survey for installation of one of our boxes by another nature conservation group in Mid Sussex.

 

Having selected the most suitable site in advance, a volunteer working party began clearance work around the tree to begin installation.

 

The box was then quickly erected by the experienced team of volunteers…..

 

….before finally departing to leave the new accommodation for local owls to discover.

 

We then moved on to another site we had selected for the replacement of established boxes that had become badly damaged in a nearby location. The original site had become a difficult one for the teams to access in safety, so the new ones were fitted in a location very close to it. This box was the first of the pair to be erected. 

 

This was the location selected for the second box which was effectively mounted by the members of the team. 

 

 When the work was concluded, the team members departed leaving the new boxes ready for barn owl roosting and breeding in the season ahead.

 

Afterwards time was taken to make friends with local neighbours.

 

A further request was received from a local landowner in Hurstpierpoint for a barn owl box to be erected in an agreed suitable location. The team began installing the box on the tree shown above.

 

The erection was undertaken in managed progressive stages….

 

….until final completion was achieved.

 

When finished, the team stood back to appreciate the finished installation….

 

….before loading all the equipment back onto their vehicles.

 

The next location requiring attention, was one where the existing landowners had barn owls roosting in boxes in their barn. 

 

With the barn designated for conversion in the near future, we were asked to install boxes on trees nearby to provide alternative accommodation for the regular owl inhabitants. This was the first tree selected.

 

The box mounting was speedily completed and we moved on to the second tree.

 

The second tree required the clearance of a lot of ivy and interfering branches to make it suitable to mount a box.

 

The team members determinedly undertook the work required….

 

….and soon the task was finished. We were very grateful to the landowners for their consideration for the welfare of these local barn owls.

 

Work then shifted to the installation of a number of tawny owl boxes that had been requested by other landowners in our Mid Sussex Conservation Area. This was the first to be erected by team members.

 

This was the second, which was quickly completed.

 

A further suitable site was selected and the installation of a third box began.

 

This was eventually finished….

 

….and with work completed for that day, the boxes were left to the local tawny owl population to become familiar with.

 

We returned on a later day to complete a fourth box shown here, that we hadn’t managed to include on the previous visit.

 

On a further occasion, a volunteer team was assembled again, and two tawny owl boxes were installed for a landowner in a hillside location in our Southern Mid Sussex Owl Conservation Area. This was one of the boxes erected. A considerable amount of time had been spent beforehand on clearing surrounding foliage, to make the location suitable to meet the tawny owl’s requirements. This clearance exercise was also required before the second box could be mounted. 

 

Further boxes were requested for two landowners in Hassocks. This one was in a woodland where we already had an installation of successful bat boxes. It possessed all the requirements to attract tawny owls. 

 

The box for the second landowner was mounted in woodland on the tree shown. 

 

We now wait to see how successful they are in attracting the required residents.

 

We are still have more boxes to erect and these are being dealt with as soon as possible. We are grateful to all the landowners where the recent new installations have been completed, or have been agreed for future fitting, for donating the cost of the new boxes. This helps us considerably with the costs we already bear for painting them and providing the fixings required. Ongoing cleaning out, maintenance, and inspections are routinely undertaken each year by us to ensure their continued well-being, to provide the maximum benefit for owl re-production and species population survival. With all this nature conservation effort given by volunteers utilising their own time and relying on grants, donations and fund-raising events to undertake it, any financial assistance is greatly appreciated.

 

 

 

 

We have arranged a public talk on Friday, 30th May 2025 in the Club Suite of the Village Centre, Trinity Road, Hurstpierpoint, BN6 9UY. The speaker is Michael Blencowe the naturalist, author and wildlife guide. The title of his talk is ‘The Wildlife of Sussex’. It commences at 7.30pm.

The diverse habitats of our southern county support a range of amazing species. Michael Blencowe takes you on a guided tour from the rock pools, through the woodlands and up to the South Downs, meeting some amazing wildlife on the way. The talk will follow a brief introduction by The Woodland, Flora & Fauna Group and a quick summary of the work undertaken by the group over the last 12 months.

This talk is to preceded by the group’s AGM commencing at 6.45pm for anyone who wishes to attend earlier to hear about or discuss group activities. There will be an interval with refreshments served between the two events.

We hold talks by informed countryside and wildlife speakers several times a year and use these events to generate any donations people can spare to support our nature conservation work around southern Mid Sussex and adjacent villages. The natural world is struggling to survive and needs all the help it can get, so any help received is invaluable to further this cause in the countryside around us.

The weather has been a problem for all our activities this year. Insufficient notice of dry days in the fluctuating forecast has made all our arrangements a last-minute scramble to organise. Those that we have been bold enough to gamble on for them to remain as predicted dry days, have often had to be cancelled at the last minute prior to the event. Such was our demise with our bat box surveys again this year. Lots of locations to visit and a seasonal deadline to meet, but no obvious dry intervals to undertake them in. This dilemma required last minute working teams to be organised to capitalise on emerging dry intervals. Thanks to the willingness of our volunteers to respond to this situation, we managed to form sufficient teams to complete all of them before the permanent onset of cold, wet, weather. Despite the pessimism we felt beforehand about the weather impacting badly on a successful outcome in terms of bats found, we were pleasantly surprised.

 

Our seasonal bat surveys began late in our richest location at Talbot Field.

 

We always begin here to try to obtain sightings of the more uncommon species before the seasonal warmth recedes.

 

All boxes in this site contain evidence of bat occupancy having occurred at some stage during the summer months.

 

Once again this year, despite the miserable wet and cool weather, we were rewarded with a box containing three rare Bechstein’s bats.

 

Last year the early onset of cold conditions prevented their presence in our survey, so we were delighted with finding them again this year.

 

Whatever the weather, we are always pleased to find the delightful Common Pipistrelles who regularly appear each year. This box contained five.

 

Two appear in this box above a huge pile of bat droppings which indicate intensive seasonal bat use.

 

A team of willing volunteers are assembled before each site is visited. Without this valuable help the surveys would not be possible.

 

Almost all locations reveal box usage by bats of some species.

 

This box contained a cluster of Common Pipistrelles.

 

The strong gales experienced throughout the year leave a trail of woodland damage which often makes our progress difficult….

 

.…but with determination, the team members overcome all obstacles.

 

It does however, slow progress, which realistically makes only one site location feasible for any chosen day.

 

These were two further Bechstein’s bats found in another woodland. This was again a site they had used before but were absent from last year due to the cooler conditions.

 

This box rewarded our effort with three Common Pipistrelles found roosting inside.

 

We try to disturb them as little as possible to ensure they remain in the positions we find them rather than, as sometimes occurs, they begin crawling towards the doorways. When they do this, extra care has to be taken to gently move them back, so that there is no possibility of trapping them when the door is replaced.

 

Each tree box is logged and the occupants recorded.

 

Helpers select specialist roles for themselves….

 

….and repeat their task every time the ladder sections are moved to a new tree location.

 

This teamwork is essential to progress the huge annual task these checks create….

 

….to enable every bat found to be recorded.

 

The smaller Common Pipistrelles were the most prolific species found….

 

….but we also found the larger species of Noctule bat in our survey, as shown here.

 

Noctule bats are one of our largest native bat species with a wingspan up to 460mm. They are fairly common but always a distinctive species to find.

 

Some of the woodland locations were a ‘nightmare’ to negotiate, with thick bramble understoreys making travelling through them very difficult….

 

.…and negotiating ladder sections through them almost impossible on some occasions.

 

This extreme effort expended made every occupied box found a just reward….

 

….and each occupant a highly prized discovery….

 

….regardless of species.

 

This particular woodland, was so thickly populated with bramble understorey and fallen trees that some boxes were difficult to reach….

 

….taking several hours longer than normal to achieve successful completion.

 

The recordings of bats found indicated that all were healthy and flourishing well….

 

….giving us the reassurance that our effort was helping considerably with their conservation.

 

There were of course some things that depressed us, like this woodcrete bat box found showing evidence of attempted grey squirrel penetration, which made a replacement door necessary on our next visit to make it suitable for bats again.

 

Generally however, the overall activity was completed successfully….

 

….thanks to the hard work and dedication of our volunteers who, despite the reduction in available dry days….

 

….willingly gave up their time to create teams at short notice in order to complete the overall activity before the seasonal deadline. We are very grateful to each of them.

 

However difficult the weather made the progress of our bat surveys, at least we had some really encouraging finds within them. We rarely get the same satisfaction with the number of dormice found in our many dormouse boxes. This year however, at the end of the year we did find evidence of a dormouse nest within one of the boxes, but no additional evidence of dormouse habitation from food consumed or other indicators. It does give us encouragement to keep our conservation effort going and spurs us on through the many time consuming box surveys where we usually find a wide array of other wildlife species occupying them.

 

These were some deserted blue tits eggs found this year in a dormouse box. 

 

Volunteers again gathered on different days, to form teams to check all the boxes in the various locations in our conservation area.

 

Wood mice nests were found in plenty along with the tit’s nests. 

 

The team members again selected individual roles to improve the efficiency of the checks. 

 

This greatly increased our progress around the sites which required crossing several streams and negotiating some difficult terrain.

 

With many locations allowing only single vehicle access, which made car sharing necessary, the teams had to be small. For some of the larger locations this meant extended survey periods were required. These were some of the volunteers who recently worked through the morning and into mid-afternoon to complete one of the surveys. They are shown having a sit-down break to have lunch midway through the day.

 

This is a wood mouse captured in one of the boxes. Some boxes contained pairs of mice. 

 

All nesting material was left in the boxes where wood mice were discovered so that they could continue using it. The mice were either returned to the box or released after the inspection. In all other boxes any old nesting material was removed in readiness for possible later occupancy by dormice. 

 

This box was found to contain an old dormouse nest although there was no sign of recent occupancy. The find however, reveals to us that however scarce they have become, there is still a local presence to be nurtured.

 

A new addition found in our boxes in our later surveys this year was the Common Shrew. These delicate creatures were found in two locations, further indicating their value for all species of wildlife.

 

Adjacent to one of the last boxes examined this year, a woodpecker had been practicing its hole-drilling skills….

 

….and another box we had found to have been visited by the Grey Squirrel species that plagues all our wildlife projects, and was removed for hopeful repair.

 

Again we are very grateful for the valued help from our group volunteers who enable all our conservation work to be achieved. Volunteers are essential to assist with installing group wildlife conservation measures and equally so for maintaining their effectiveness with surveys and maintenance.

 

 

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.