Visiting old friends…..

Dominic and I headed over to see some friends in Sidlesham who have several boxes that have been very successful over time. Last year sadly in the depths of the terrible breeding season that Barn Owls had (see BOT https://www.barnowltrust.org.uk/barn-owl-facts/current-uk-barn-owl-population/) we did not visit this beautiful site. So, it was with delight I had a call to say there had been owls sighted carring prey into the box. But, not the ususal box- this year the owls had taken a fancy to a box in the barn rather than the tall oak tree.

5 barn owlets now bearing BTO rings for identification

Poor Dominic was almost green with the smell from this box as it was in the top of a very warm barn and there was also a maggoty carcass of a dead Stock Dove chick in the box which he kindly removed!

Some of the more photogenic owls are below. All of them were in exceedingly good health and we wsh them well in the future.

After spotting and ringing a brood of swallows in an adjacent barn we said a fond farewell to this beautiful location and look forward to returning next year.