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.
My detailed observations are here :-
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.
| 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 |  |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 | |||||
| 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. |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
