Link to 2021 thread
Live stream: https://www.essexwt.org.uk/wildlife/webcams/barn-owl
As with the 2020 season, barn owls did not use the box for breeding in 2021, will this year be different?
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In answer to that question, yes!
9 eggs laid: Incubation period is 30-31 days
Hatches:
1st chick - 21.5.21 2nd chick - 23.5.22 3rd chick - 24.5.22 4th chick - 26.5.22 5th chick - 29.5.22 6th chick - 2.6.22 7th chick - ??? 8th chick - 5.6.22
WendyBartter said:Be prepared for the youngest ones becoming food for the older ones Mike, can be harrowing!
I can imagine.
I often get to a local Nat Trust, and its fascinating watching the swallows, which I know are on a different scale, but there is always the bigger one(s) that seem to tower over the others, and you have to wonder how they smaller ones manage to survive.
I know with many species, the parents can tell who needs the next morsel, and in some, its often a colouration of the beaks which allows the parents to see who's eaten and who needs to eat.
Fascinating stuff, and always a wonder to watch.
Mike
Flickr: Peak Rambler
Just prior to this snap, she was preening, and stood on one leg, but lost her balance almost toppling backwards CHOL:):)
She's just picked up some cached prey! Well, I say that but I can't see it in your pic, Kate? With the position of her tail, perhaps we missed the male dropping it off and there had been a mating?
Edit: The number of comments on chat has gone up by one but the latest post isn't showing just yet. Hopefully someone has seen the male in the box!
Prey drop 22:40
Female was calling just beforehand
After handing over the prey, there was no mating but instead he preened her head
He stopped suddenly. Heard something outside? The male left the box
TBC
Cont'd...
The female moved the prey to the middle of the flooring and began to eat
She stopped eating
She stood in this position for a little while
Then continued to eat her meal, downing it quite quickly hence the slightly blurred pic
She made her way back to the eggs
Still TBC
Cont'd
No sooner had she settled on the eggs, the male returned and mated with her. Note the rectangular patch of dark feathers surrounding the white ones on his right shoulder, a good distinguishing feature of the original male along with his 'poorly' right eye
Then he exited the box
Female resting at 23:18
Sleeping soundly after a change of position
Night, night
wonder what we have here.
There are pics on chat (8:41) showing the female eating the prey that Kate had highlighted.
She can snack on the other one later