Baby Barn Owls!!!

Took the licenced ringer along to check a Barn Owl box erected a few years ago now through a project I was running. We knew it had come into use last year but only found out late in the season and so the chicks had just fledged when we went to check. As a protected species a licenced ringer has to do this, not just anyone. We decided to go earlier this year when the farmer whose land it is on had seen activity, but we were a bit early as they are only a matter of days old and so too small to fit leg rings on. We didn't disturb her, hence the slight blur as a flash wasn't used and the box was quite dark (plus I was balance on a ladder up a tree!!!)

There are at least 4 chicks, you can see the bigest one's head pointing right, the smallest at the front and then two medium sized ones. Only a mother could love them as they are ugly little things but they turn out nice in the end.

I'll post an update when we go back to ring them in about a month.