Last evening I'd been visiting friends down in the local village so it was a little after ten o'clock by the time I returned home. Up here that means it was still light, although beginning to become a bit dull and mist was forming in many of the hollows.
As I came up the track I scanned for owls but saw nothing. As I approached the house I could hear young Barn Owls "snoring" quite loudly. At first I thought at least part of this noise came away from the barn and was encouraged that these might be from the bird that had fledged away from the nest. Later I changed that view as it was obvious ( from within the barn ) that at least two youngsters were still in the nest box and very vocal.
Watching from the car an adult soon returned with prey, flying very deliberately in a direct line towards the barn. It landed on what is a small "step" at the entrance hole and immediately a young owl lunged out and grabbed the Field Vole. The adult bird then went in the aperture itself but soon came out and flew off.
So at least two youngsters remaining and clearly doing well. It might be speculated that the young bird found previously had found its way back to the nest as it was sufficiently independent to do so. Otherwise , with the weather conditions we've had since Saturday morning, I feel its chances of survival are pretty low. That said it's very encouraging to consider at least two young have been raised to this stage, possibly more! More news later.
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