PREVIEW

The discovery of four fluffy barn owl chicks in November surprised conservationists from Ulster Wildlife as baby birds usually arrive in the Spring. Staff who inspected the nest site at Ballycruttle Farm found the chicks, which fledged in December, and said they are one of the latest broods ever encountered in the province. In Northern Ireland, barn owl eggs are typically laid in April with chicks normally fledging in June or July, occasionally later depending on the weather, but this brood has bucked the trend. Apparently, one reason for the lateness of the brood - unwanted guests. In March, jackdaws took up residence in their nest box, which resulted in the female moving away to a nearby farm, managed by the Kelly family. A single male had been hunting on the Kelly’s nature-friendly farm for many years and, to their delight, the pair reunited bred and fledged one chick in late summer. But the Ballycruttle male barn owl had other ideas; he kept calling and calling to woo the female back. Eventually, she conceded and left her one chick in the hands of the male, who continued to keep feeding it and laid another clutch of eggs in her original box at Ballycruttle Farm. Having hatched, those eggs are now a beautiful barn owl brood! Helping ensure this species remains one of Britain and Ireland’s most recognisable creatures.