The Lincolnshire Bird Club

What a difference a year makes! After last years record season, only three of the twenty one boxes in the Stainton-le-Vale area held breeding Barn Owls. One had a clutch of 6 eggs whilst the others had broods of one and two respectively. Alan Ball and Adrian Blackburn appear to have fared better with their boxes so it's not all gloom and doom. On the plus side, there were four broods of Kestrels, three on four eggs and the other had two young.

Stuart,
How does the percentage occupancy of the Barn Owl boxes at Stainton-le-Vale compare with last year at the same time?

Do you think that a number of adult birds have gone missing from the area or might they be around and not breeding?

Roy.

Roy,
The occupancy is down by 66% (3 as opposed to 9). However, Barn Owls were roosting in a further 5 boxes. Females will not lay until thet reach a certain body weight so I suspect there has been insufficient food. There are still plenty of adults in the area but they have not reached breeding condition.

I checked the occupied boxes and found that the 3 young were doing well and close to fledging. Of the six eggs, only two hatched and the two young were growing well.