2004, ANOTHER GOOD YEAR

First a few statistics:-

• Since the start of the project,
• Number of boxes where either Barn Owls or Pellets have been found totals 56.
• Number of boxes used for nesting by Barn Owls is 20.
• Young Barn Owls fledged in the last 5 years is 87

2004 has been another great year for RUBOP with a couple of firsts and though we didn’t reach last years high, this was our 2nd best year ever.

The firsts were our first successful use of an interior box and our first ever 2nd broods.

The season started well with owls nesting earlier than last year and number of eggs laid was high; however there was some bad weather after eggs had hatched which resulted in some infant mortality and the final fledging figures being lower than last year.

We had 3 boxes produce 3 fledged young, 5 with 2 and 1 with 1.

Strangely our biggest brood was 5 found in a tree hole at Owthorpe

Boxes used in the first broods included boxes used for the 2nd year at Rushcliffe CP, Plumtree, and Kinoulton, the Hickling pair which had moved to an adjacent box, a new breeding pair at Gotham and a pair in a box inside a barn at Colston Bassett.

The pairs at Kinoulton, Rushcliffe CP and Colston Bassett all went on to have small second broods, 2 with 2 young and the other with a single, all using different boxes but all within their original territories.

Unfortunately, the single chick died soon after ringing.

It was disappointing though that for the first time for 4 years we had no owls breeding at Tollerton though Barn Owls were seen twice in the boxes and the Female that bred at Gamston was killed on the road in February and the male didn’t find another mate, however the vacant box did provide us with our first Little Owl brood.

We also had no returns from the Scarrington, Aslockton, Flintham areas that had been productive in the past.

A remarkable ringing return was that the female that bred in the Hickling box had originated in Cambridgshire and had been ringed by the same ringer as that of another Barn Owl found dead in the same box in February. Both were ringed in 2002 and had traveled 70 kms.

Our boxes have also been used for nesting by Kestrels, Little Owl, Jackdaw and Stock Doves.

Overall, 2004 was a far better year than 2003, neighboring barn owl ringers reported great improvements with one in Lincolnshire ringing 245 young Barn Owls as against 35 last year.

After a period of inactivity after the breeding season, the last few weeks have seen us checking boxes for 2nd broods, clearing out old Jackdaw nests and repairing damaged boxes.

Over the next few weeks, we have 4 new boxes to erect and some more repairs to carry out.

The intention then is not to touch any boxes until April/May when owls should be settled on eggs.

BASF Biocides Ltd have sponsored our 100th Nest Box.
Situated on a farm close to the Company's Ruddington Headquarters, the 100th Box was hung on a tree last March, the box soon attracted a passing Barn Owl and when inspected in October, a roosting Barn Owl was found inside, thought to be the male of the pair that raised 2 broods totalling 4 young in 2 separate boxes on the nearby Rushcliffe Country Park during 2004

Other news: 2006, 2005, 2003