The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Congratulations to the Association of Drainage Authorities and the Wildlife Conservation Partnership for winning the senior award with "Operation Barn Owl". Putting up nest boxes alongside Lincolnshire's many waterways has increased the county Barn Owl population from 200 pairs in 1988 to the present estimated population of 900 pairs. Bob Sheppard and Alan Ball (who regularly contributes to this Forum) have been responsible for monitoring the nest boxes and have ringed over 1,000 Barn Owls in 21 years - a remarkable example of commitment and dedication. Congratulations, too, to all the other winners.

Many thanks Stuart. The awards dinner was a great occasion, with Dr David Bellamy (one of the judges) doing his usual enthralling speach. It was nice to get the first place in one of the sections, but particularly rewarding to be the overall winner. The drainage boards have done wonders for the Barn Owl population - as you say over 1000 owlets being reared in their boxes, in addition to the 600 or so reared in the Environment Agency pole-boxes alond the watercourses of Lincolnshire. Not only that, but many more Barn Owls have been reared on private land, benefitting from the habitat that the Drainage Boards and EA provide. Great credit goes to Bob Sheppard who has liaised and advised the drainage authorities over many years on where to place the boxes - (I merely get involved in the easy task of monitoring what they've got each year.)

Alan

Yes, congratulations to all involved. Its a fantastic achievement, and good that you can directly correlate your efforts with an increase in the Barn Owl population.