Barn owl monitoring using a Trail Camera (photo by John Chester)
Over the last few years BOAG has been lucky to have the support, enthusiasm and help from Kate MacRae (of the Springwatch 'small mammal stump' fame). We called upon Kate to help provide us with and train us to use Trail Cameras. These cameras, which are battery operated, are triggered by movement to film and take still photographs and using infrared they also film at night. The group thought that they would be a useful tool to help with monitoring. Shortly after purchasing the camera it came into its own.
In 2012, late into the breeding season, a pair of barn owls nesting in a barn struggled to rear their young. Two of the four chicks had already perished, so by setting up the Trail Camera in the barn we were able to monitor the family without disturbing them. It soon became clear that the adults were struggling to bring in enough food for their young as the camera recorded infrequent visits of the adults with prey. As winter was fast approaching it was agreed that BOAG would supplement the chicks' diet with dead mice supplied from a pet shop. The two chicks survived and fledged with the adults also making use of the free food giving this barn owl family a greater chance to survive the winter.
Also captured on film and giving us further insight was the unexpected and unusual attack by one of the adult barn owls on an unsuspecting tawny owl which had flown into the barn to roost on the rafters.
Over the last few years BOAG has been lucky to have the support, enthusiasm and help from Kate MacRae (of the Springwatch 'small mammal stump' fame). We called upon Kate to help provide us with and train us to use Trail Cameras. These cameras, which are battery operated, are triggered by movement to film and take still photographs and using infrared they also film at night. The group thought that they would be a useful tool to help with monitoring. Shortly after purchasing the camera it came into its own.
In 2012, late into the breeding season, a pair of barn owls nesting in a barn struggled to rear their young. Two of the four chicks had already perished, so by setting up the Trail Camera in the barn we were able to monitor the family without disturbing them. It soon became clear that the adults were struggling to bring in enough food for their young as the camera recorded infrequent visits of the adults with prey. As winter was fast approaching it was agreed that BOAG would supplement the chicks' diet with dead mice supplied from a pet shop. The two chicks survived and fledged with the adults also making use of the free food giving this barn owl family a greater chance to survive the winter.
Also captured on film and giving us further insight was the unexpected and unusual attack by one of the adult barn owls on an unsuspecting tawny owl which had flown into the barn to roost on the rafters.