Barn owl mitigation

Nick Carter, Conservation officer (Fens)

Next year's excavation works at Methwold wetland creation site will get close to the existing barn owl box on the site and so we decided to cap the box this winter and install a new box to ensure no disturbance for any breeding owls.  

Colin Shawyer, of Wildlife Conservation Partnership, visited the site this
week to carry out the work and also to move an unused kestrel box and
re-position it in a better location.

 The site’s female barn owl was roosting in the box. After checking, when she turned out to be very healthy 385g, she was released and flew to a nearby treeline, which was where the new box was erected. 

 

The kestrel box close up

Checking her ring confirmed that she was four years old. Colin moved the old kestrel box from the nearby wood and placed it along the same treeline as the barn owl box. Hopefully both boxes will be used next year.