LBC/LCCP Barn Owl Project Grant

Andrew Chick · **Posted:** Tue Jul 03, 2012 9:29 am

First update on the LBC/LCCP project.

We installed six nest boxes in November 2011. We checked them at the end on June 2012 and we have 4 pairs of Barn Owls and 3 pairs of kestrels.

To get ALL six boxes used in the first year of any project is exceptional.

Full details can be found at http://www.lincsbirdclub.co.uk/LCCP/index.html (And, don't forget live Barn Owl images at http://www.lincsbirdclub.co.uk/owlcam.html)

Image 1. Three almost fully grown Barn Owl chicks

Image 2. Three kestrel chicks

All birds ringed under licence from NE/BTO.

John Badley · **Posted:** Thu Jul 05, 2012 5:02 pm

By the way it isn't a good idea to encourage kestrels to nest close to wet grasslands/grazing marshes if they are being managed for breeding waders as the species is known to have the potential to significantly impact on lapwing/redshank breeding productivity. I am not aware of any evidence to suggest barn owls could have a similar affect. How you can encourage barn owls without also encouraging kestrels is a difficult one. One option is to locate the nest box close to areas of high human activity. This is what we've done at Freiston and Frampton. The Freiston box is now unsuitable for kestrels. Frampton is proving more of a challenge. We had kestrels in it last year and moved it closer to the visitor centre to put them off this year, but clearly not close enough, as they still tried (but failed). We've been lucky in that the kestrels have been hunting elsewhere, but we aren't going to take the risk long-term and will be moving the box again to dissuade them.

Cheers,

John

John Badley · **Posted:** Thu Jul 05, 2012 5:39 pm

Ps. doesn't 4 + 3 = 7?!

Andrew Chick · **Posted:** Thu Jul 05, 2012 6:10 pm

John,

One of the boxes had both a pair of barn owls and a pair of kestrels.

And, all the boxes are located within an intensive arable landscape.

Andrew

The Lincolnshire Bird Club

LBC/LCCP Barn Owl Project Grant

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