1 September 2018

One Barn Owl returned outside the nest box at 0431 this morning and roosted inside from 0552.

Observed Barn Owl activity 2018

The following Blogg is a record of the Barn Owl observations from early April to the end of August 2018.

BACKGROUND

The Owl boxes  are in my garden in Buckinghamshire UK. The Owls are totally wild and free. They have been mostly resident since 2015.

The common abbreviations used below are F=female, M=male, BO = Barn Owl . o/s outside (the box)

The Barn Owls raised youngsters in 2015 and minimal video coverage was obtained with cam recorders some of which is on my You Tube channel. (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHvU-QKVpILl35cPp_ollpA?)

In 2016 they raised 3 youngsters from 6 eggs, 5 of which hatched. There is extensive video on my You Tube Channel.

In 2017 no eggs were laid after a major fight took place in the box assumed to be with one of the 2016 returning youngster.

This year 2018 I had full video and some sound coverage from April and the Barn Owls were unable to lay any eggs during a very unusual spell of weather. 

My detailed observations are here :-

Date					Description
04/01/18					1BO in 1BO out Tawney Owl arrived BO flew off video 4118
					No coverage due to camera failure
04/04/18					Both BO roost M goes hunting returns with large rodent
24/04/18					Frequent pair bonding activity onwards from this date
					frequent pelleting action from this time
25/04/18					Uneaten rodent seen in box - consumed later in day
26/04/18					Tawny owl visit and spent several minutes incl looking into entrance. Both BO inside much noise.
30/04/18					Copulation with sound see video 30 apr 2018 - cold windy wet(sound now recording on timer)
02/05/18					(F waited shelf many hours) M arrives no food copulation 04:05 & 0453 much cuddles - sleep
02/05/18					Owls awake Jackdaw arr with nest mat looks in takes mat to roost box ??.broadband probs
					F BO outside hears Tawny; she goes in Tawny looks into box -no sound recording - photos Fbook                                                   Tawny Owl visit
04/05/18					much in out by M mostly close to F - NO FOOD seen
05/05/18					Appears F went out hunting & returned with large rodent. M out since 20;44
08/05/18					Tawny Owl visit (silence) video 8518 tawny visit - very warm day/night
09/05/18					F spends most of the night outside the box M away no food supply seen with 10% sample
10/05/18					M hunting until 04;44 copulation - F hunting 20;48 to 0415 wet weather thorough check
15/05/18					Much disturbance Tawny Owl? Duck call & fly Dog barking 0350 only 1 BO roosted from 0456
16/05/18					1BO absent. Great cellebrations upon return lasted 1 hr mainly sitting together outside then roost
17/05/18					Normal 2bo roost to 2100 both hunt F? in 0313 M in 0338 roost (windy cool)
17/05/18					Disturbed following camera cable failure Both left roost. I left 2 sm rats 1bo returned 21;34 short visit.
18/05/18					F BO visited & waited in & out did not roost or take food Crows did at 0618
19/05/18					1bo outside 2139 - 0356, 2bo - 0358 1bo roost from 0424
20/05/18
21/05/18					21/22 May barn owls disturbed and leave; still about; 1 visits new box
21/05/18					21 do not roost
22/05/18					22 do not roost but about outside
23/05/18					23/24 both owls visit outside box only 1 enters did not roost
25/05/18					24/25 assumed to have left
24/05/18					24/25 one bo in and out from 2213- 0429 when it went in and roosted
26/05/18					26/27 one bo roosted out at 2054 very wet storm night returned alone 0314 inside to roost 0431
27/05/18					27/28 2nd bo returned 2215 much bonding stayed to 0635 1 roosted sound timing wrong
31/05/18					31/1 June M(?) retuned 0329 left 0418 calling heard from 2200
01/06/18					F roosted
03/06/18					F BO seen to enter with food. Male joined at 0409 both roosting
03/06/18					Both BO F out 2107 ret with food 0038. camera fail both roosting at 0930
04/06/18					M BO left roost and seen to head towards RAF Halton
05/06/18					M BO arrives with young rabbit F inside No action to eat it seen M left at 0815 F roosts (rab out of shot)
06/06/18					F roost all night occ looks out no visit from M observed F roosts
07/06/18					F roost but missing (outside) 2054 to 0357 no M seen
08/06/18					F roost alone no vision of M Fout 2044 return outside 0342 in 0418
09/06/18					F roost alone no vision of M Fout 2131 return outside 0342 in 0450
10/06/18					F roost all day out 2150 return 0404
10/06/18					Roosting bird unsettled and left approx 1100hrs bird seen/heard outside from 2212
11/06/18					both birds inside much attention inc pellet nibbling M(?) outside 0337- daylight F roosts
12/06/18					2148 F leaves box ret 0181 stays in or out til 0337 in followed by M Roost F maybe injured leg?
13/06/18					m left 2112 f outside from 2133 f hunts 2141 both return 0433 M leaves 0433 f roosts
14/06/18					M left early 13th not seen . F left 2116 returned 0326 roosted
15/06/18					F alone out 2116 in 0326 m not seen f roosted
16/06/18					f depart 2133 to outside hunt from 0246 return inside 0348 m inside 0353 both roost
17/06/18					m out 2123 f out 2150 f return 0411 f roost
18/06/18					f out 2136 m in 0400 f in 0427 both roost
19/06/18					m out 2122 f out 2145 f in 0438 (m did not return to roost)
20/06/18					2150 f out 0045 small rat M & F in much pairbond @ 0339 both roost from 0345
21/06/18					2136 1 out 2139 2 out 0324 1 in 0427 both in to Roost
22/06/18					2152 2 out 2254 sht tail vole(?) eaten by 1 in stayed outside most night 1 in 0339 2 in 0356 roost
23/06/18					2120 both out return to box 0312 – M remains out flies off at sunrise
24/06/18					2200 1 bo left/ 0303 1 inside 1 outside/ 0322 both in/ 0352 both out/ 0418 both in roost
25/06/18					Internet failure – both roosted
26/06/18					Internet failure – 1 roosted
27/06/18					computer off
28/06/18					F out 2156, 0001 food small rodent, 0035 out 0317 out 0347 m out after leaves food long tail small rat
29/06/18					2201 both out 0342 1 returned until 0358 – left did not return or roost
30/06/18					1 bo roosted
01/07/18					2200 1 bo went os 2222 left 0334 both arr os 1 in 0350 2 in 0409 pair bond for 4 mins
02/07/18					both out 2145 0300 food short tailed vole squirrel visit 0338 both roost 0359
03/07/18					2139 both out both back 0401 roosted
04/07/18					21:53 both out both return by 0351 & roost Much pairbond some visits during night.
05/07/18					2120 1 out 2157 2 out 0406 1 return and roost alone
07/07/18					1 barn owl left at 2133 and did not return
09/07/18					1 barn owl returned 2326 & 0347 roosted from 0408 10/07/18 Edible dormouse (Glis glis) seen in box.
11/07/18					both owls visited outside box during night
12/07/18					Only 1 owl seen to visit 0321 for a few minutes
13/07/18					No show
14/07/18					Owl outside from 0200 0317 in searching in & out In to roost 0419
21/07/18					B Owl sheltered from light rain 0141 – 0231
25/07/18					Both owls return visit box depart 2217 return 0400 and roost from 0429
26/07/18					Both owls left between 21:21 & 21:25 one returned at 0352 and roosted from 0405 (Glis glis 2132)
27/07/18					1 bo roosted to2123 ret 0219 rain out 0306 roosted from 0431 (GG 0314) – departed 2129
31/07/18					1 occasionally outside then roosted from 0459 departed 2124 GG seen 2345
01/08/18					Visited 0138 roosted from 0436 departed 2118
03/08/18					BO visited NEW box 0012 BO returned to old box 0410 roosted from 0434 until 2124
04/08/18					1 bo around box a few times (seen biting box roof where Kite had eaten) roosted 0449 Out 2113 left 2122
05/08/18					1 Barn Owl frequently perched outside box for long periods at night 5th to 7th Aug.
13/08/18					1 Barn Owl about from 0456 Roosted inside from 0510 left at 2058
17/08/18					1 Barn Owl arrived 0437 2nd outside at 0450 pair bond Roosted inside from 0510. 1 out 2036 2 out 2055
18/08/18					1 Barn Owl Roosted inside from 0201 departed 2045
20/08/18					1 Barn Owl outside from 0422 Roosted inside from 0516 departed 2044 stayed close and visited box
21/08/18					1 Barn Owl outside from 0001 Roosted inside from 0336 departed 2048
22/08/18					1 Barn Owl Roosted inside from 0412 departed 2033
23/08/18					1 Barn Owl returned 0459 Roosted inside from 0527 departed 2037
24/08/18					1 Barn Owl Roosted inside from 0327 departed 2015
25/08/18					1st Barn Owl Roosted inside from 0423 second roosted from 0616 departed 2027 2nd joined o/s 2030
26/08/19					1 Barn Owl Roosted inside from 0509 departed 2034
27/08/18					1st BO arr 0139 2nd seen o/s 0215 pairbond much photos both roost from 0537 o/s 2000 departed 2016
28/08/18					1 BO to box o/s 0212 roosted from 0237 ( Glis glis visited 0113) departed daylight no record o/s 2052
29/08/18					No bo inside. Seen o/s 0024-0511 did not roost
30/08/18					No activity recorded