Now the kestrels have fledged you can now watch our three barn owl chicks live via http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/a/arne/webcam.aspx.
They aren't very active during the day but watch during the evening as the parents bring them voles and mice that they catch on the heath and farmland close to their nest.
Feel free to use the forum to post any observations or questions and we will do are best to answer them!
Barn owl chicks take atleast 55 days to fledge which is a big difference to the kestrel chicks which fledged after 35 days. The oldest chick is about 50 days old and the youngest is about 40 days old so there is still abit of time before they all fledge. Female barn owls don't delay incubation of their eggs unlike the kestrels so there is always a big difference in chick size with the oldest being the most dominant and likely to eat its smaller siblings. It sounds gruesome but it is a survival mechanism and will see the older chicks through periods when food is scarce and often ensures that atleast one chick will always fledge. In the case of this nest they all look healthy and there has been plenty of food so fingers crossed for the smallest one.
Enjoy watching and listen out for the extremely scary noises they make!
I'm finding it difficult to tear myself away from computer lately! Thought it was certainly my turn to put in more effort as you were asking about feeding times Dom. Wonderful photos of the adult, would just love to see one live.
What's going on - getting a bit twitchy - had my back to computer while washing up, strange noises - looked and saw wing stretched and one trying to fly out at top left - gone!
Not gone but others looking up - think you can just see part of wing top left - hope it's not stuck anywhere.
It's back, well that was all very strange - no, I wasn't seeing things because I'm tired as hub here and saw it too!
lots of stange noise going on outside the box - somebody shovelling or something? was getting the chicks extremely agitated anyway, calmed down a bit again
home delivery started again about 5 minutes ago - usual menu
Another warm furry food parcel just dropped through the letterbox. One chick had it but then just passed it on to its sibling who gratefully consumed it.
That is the most godawful damn racket I ever did hear. No wonder the parents have their own nestbox out of earshot.
Hi, the webcam will be down until tomorrow morning - soory for spoiling the viewing!
Oh no - what will I do tonight now!!!!!!
webcam still seems to be playing up and haven't managed to get to Arne this week, do hope all is well with the chicks