Today volunteers from BOAG have been to St. Stephen's Primary School in Fradley to install two owl nest boxes that were donated to the school. At the same time BOAG spoke to the children in Year 4 about barn owls and brought in barn owl pellets for the children to dissect. The children were very enthusiastic and absorbed by this activity, they dissected all the pellets that were brought in. They found lots of tiny bones and skulls from voles and shrews hidden in the pellets.
The children learn all about wildlife and had just finished studying about hedgehogs, in the school grounds there are lots of bird nest boxes, bird tables and in front of the school there is a wildflower area.
The children learn all about wildlife and had just finished studying about hedgehogs, in the school grounds there are lots of bird nest boxes, bird tables and in front of the school there is a wildflower area.
Some of the skulls and jaw bones found in the barn owl pellets and dissected by the children
With so many nest boxes in the trees around school it was a struggle to find a spare tree for the owl nest boxes. Unfortunately, the habitat in the school grounds is not suitable for barn owls but, BOAG installed the smaller owl box in the hope that a little owl might occupy the box as it overlooks countryside and fields.
The school is now trying to find a local landowner or farmer with the right barn owl habitat who would like to site a barn owl box and hopefully attract barn owls.
The school is now trying to find a local landowner or farmer with the right barn owl habitat who would like to site a barn owl box and hopefully attract barn owls.