Breeding Season In Full Swing

It is very encouraging that 2014 is proving to be a very productive year following last year's desperate breeding success.

Box occupancy of Tawny Owls this year is at its highest level of recent times with good brood sizes too. Only last night did I ring the last owlet of the season.

It looks as though the local Barn Owl population has bounced back following the ravages of 2013. So far 50 breeding pairs have been found and they are showing great variety in terms of their development. Some birds that have already been ringed are ready to fledge whereas others, including a bird that I found this afternoon, are still incubating clutches of eggs.

Little Owls are reflecting the differing progress of their Barn Owl cousins. Some broods, such as this one, have already fledged whilst others birds are more in line with the norm and are still sat on clutches of eggs.

Kestrel box occupancy is also at its highest level for some time and it looks like we will find more young birds this year than ever before.

All in all things have started off very brightly in 2014.