Wednesday 25 March 2015

Modified Schwegler Little Owl box

Modified Schwegler box 1CGA
Based on feedback from around the country, it appears that the Schwegler 1CGA nest box is not suitable for little owls - even though it is marketed as such.
The most obvious design flaw is the lack of an entrance tunnel, considered essential by many UK little owl experts.
To overcome this flaw, we have modified our boxes using a length of 69mm diameter plastic pipe to create an internal entrance tunnel .

Hopefully this modified box will prove more successful.

 

Thursday 19 March 2015

Cookham Little Owl project

LO12: refurbished little owl box
Following our recent survey of the Cookham little owl boxes installed by Brian Clews over ten years ago, we are in the process of re-siting those that were recovered for repair.

The expectation is that by the end of March there will again be over 25 boxes available for little owls to use.

Berkshire College of Agriculture [BCA] - Part 2


BCA04: kestrel box
Yesterday, Bob and Paul returned to the BCA to complete the owl box installs there for this year - with barn owl, little owl and kestrel boxes added.

It was very encouraging to hear a little owl calling while we were installing a box for them near to the animal enclosures.

BCA06: little owl box


Our thanks go to Viccy Hatton, Lecturer and Course Manager in Animal Studies at BCA, for her great support of the owl box programme.

Sunday 8 March 2015

Fifield and Touchen End boxes

barn owl box - new design
On a return visit to Fifield and Touchen End yesterday we were able to put up 2 kestrel, 1 little owl, 1 tawny owl and 1 barn owl box.
The tawny owl box is a replacement for one that had a nest in 2013 but which blew down last year.
The barn owl box is the first of our new design boxes - see photo.
This design has a larger floor space than the triangle box, and the entrance hole has been positioned higher, to prevent the chicks from leaving before they are ready to fledge.