Melbreak Barn Owl Group is celebrating a bumper year for barn owl breeding. Set up in 2023 to protect and increase the local barn owl population, the project is part of the Melbreak Wildlife Group and, as an initiative of the Melbreak Communites, covers the areas of the parishes of Blindbothel, Buttermere, Lorton and Loweswater.

After just three years the conservation work of the group is paying dividends. Barn owl numbers over the years have declined due to lack of suitable nesting sites and loss of habitat, but the continuing provision of barn owl nest boxes built by the group, to Barn Owl Trust specifications, and strategically located across the area has led to exceptional breeding success this year.

The owl boxes are checked annually by a licensed BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) Officer, who this year found that most of the nest boxes were occupied by breeding pairs, with several boxes containing large broods of six owlets, as well as some with thriving smaller broods.

All chicks were ringed by a licensed bird ringer, providing vital information about barn owl populations, movement and survival. There was evidence that empty nest boxes were used as roosts – potential breeding sites for next year, and with more boxes scheduled to be installed before winter sets in, the group is looking forward to another productive barn owl breeding season next year.

Group Co-ordinator Harriet Fear Davies said “It was very exciting to find so many healthy broods of chicks when nest boxes were checked. We were surprised and delighted to find owlets in a box which was only installed in late spring, which we didn’t expect to be occupied this year. We found another late brood in a nest in an upturned canoe hanging from the ceiling of an outbuilding – not the safest place as there was a risk of the owlets falling out, so we plan to install a proper nest box before the next breeding season! It’s heartening to know that the group’s efforts are helping to sustain and increase the barn owl population locally”