The latest news and events from the Barn Owl Trust.
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Rodenticide Campaign News – May 2011
For many years the Barn Owl Trust has been concernedabout the way mouse and rat poisons are labelled and the increasing proportion of Barn Owls that are found to contain rodenticide. The latest figures from the Predatory Bird Monitoring Scheme show that a staggering 81% of dead Barn Owls analysed (mostly road casualties) contained traces […]
Return to the wild – April 2011
New mobile aviaries – Owls on wheels! Two new mobile release aviaries are about to go into service for the Barn Owl Trust. Originally a ‘whacky idea’ by Head of Conservation, David Ramsden MBE, the unusual looking contraptions were pioneered by the Trust and have since become a vital piece of equipment for the rehabilitation […]
Wildlife Diary 2010
December 2010 A further 30+ Fieldfares were noted in the remnant hedge feeding on Holly berries on the 4th. By the middle of the month all the berries, holly, rosehips, sloes and haws had been eaten. The two ponds have both been covered in ice all month with just a small patch of clear water […]
A Lasting Home for Local Wildlife – December 2010
Back in December 2008 Friend of the Trust, John Woodland passed away. Before he died, John talked about making a donation to the Trust and loved the idea of his money being used to fund the Trust’s very own wildlife tower, like the one built for ‘Wild Thing I Love You’ back in 2006. Two […]
Tawny Owls from Three Owls – Oct 2010
The aviary built by the Western Power Distribution (WPD) apprentices has just become the new home for 43 Tawny Owls and 2 Barn Owls. The new residents came from the Three Owls Bird Sanctuary in Rochdale, which was forced to close earlier this year. Nigel Fowler, a trustee of the sanctuary, was keen to keep […]
Wildlife Diary 2009
December 2009 On the 5th, our annual Winter Work Party was attended by 12 volunteers, including a group from the Nature at Sundown project and from BTCV Plymouth. We spent the day cutting back the overhanging branches of the remnant hedge in Kiln Close and the predominantly Hazel road boundary hedge. Great progress was made […]
Wings of Change DVD takes flight! – October 2009
Two years in the making, our well loved ‘Wings of Change’ story of the Barn Owl and its decline has been updated for children to enjoy on DVD. The ‘Wings of Change’ story began as a school talk given by the Barn Owl Trust using a traditional chalk board and Entitled “Wings of Change”, Hill […]
Barn Owl Trust Video – 3 Minute Wonder – 2009
Our new promotional film is now ‘live’ on the Barn Owl Trust website. The film is a short summary of the work of the Trust, tracing its foundations in 1988 right through to the present day. Conservation, education and research are all highlighted in the video, as well as information provision. The film emphasises just […]
Wildlife Diary 2008
December 2008 At the beginning of the month, the Forde Orchard fruit trees were ordered from a local supplier for collection next winter. Maidens (1 year old) of Apple, Cherry and Plum of 11 different varieties will be planted in early 2010. The 30 individuals will be traditional local varieties selected according to flowering and […]
Wildlife Diary 2007
December 2007 The beginning of the month saw a very unseasonal Buttercup in flower in Half Hatch on the 3rd. Resident Wood Mice were still active under the corrugated iron sheet also in Half Hatch until at least 11th. The next day, five volunteers from Plymouth University came and moved the wood chipped from Forde […]