What We Do
Protecting and Monitoring Barn Owls
Our charity’s journey began with a call to action from the BTO Barn Owl Monitoring Programme (BOMP), inspiring our work to protect this iconic species. Once threatened by habitat loss and agricultural changes, barn owl populations have benefited greatly from conservation efforts, and we are proud to contribute by creating and maintaining safe nesting environments.
We have installed nest boxes at carefully chosen sites, which we monitor with minimal disturbance using cameras fitted in the boxes. These cameras allow us to gather valuable data on barn owl breeding success while ensuring the birds remain undisturbed.
Our commitment extends beyond nest boxes; we also repair barns where barn owls nest. Last autumn, our team undertook a significant effort to repair the roof of an upland barn, working through challenging weather and terrain with help from local farmers. Thanks to this collective effort, the barn is once again a safe haven, and we’re hopeful it will attract new barn owl pairs in the coming seasons.
Through these initiatives, we continue to support barn owl populations, ensuring these beloved birds thrive in our countryside. Our efforts also contribute to national datasets, furthering understanding of barn owl population dynamics and conservation needs.
John showing Rose how to assess and ring barn owl chicks
Rehabilitation Center
Our dedication to protecting local bird populations has grown from monitoring and conservation into rescue and rehabilitation. We take in sick, injured or orphaned birds, with the aim of nursing them back to health. Once fully recovered, great emphasis is placed on returning them to the wild.
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To enhance this work, we are raising funds to build a dedicated Rehabilitation and Assessment Unit featuring extra-long flight enclosures. These specialized facilities will allow us to care for more birds simultaneously, ensuring they have the space and environment they need to recover fully.
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Our new unit will prioritize minimising stress for our feathered patients while preventing imprinting, allowing them to retain their natural behaviours. The extended flights are designed to help birds rebuild strength and maintain physical condition, ready for a successful release back into the wild.
This is Spire, a tawny owl chick found on the ground in a churchyard. Despite our best efforts, we couldn’t find his nest.
Nest Box Schemes
Our team plays an active role in safeguarding bird populations through nest monitoring and conservation. We manage a network of small bird box schemes, putting up and maintaining nest boxes across various habitats to support local bird breeding efforts.
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As participants in the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) Nest Record Scheme, we monitor the progress of individual nests, gathering vital data on breeding success. This work contributes to a long-term dataset used by scientists to study how environmental changes, like habitat loss and climate change, impact bird productivity.
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Through our efforts, we not only provide safe nesting spaces but also play a part in advancing scientific understanding and protecting the future of Britain’s birds.
Sam and John on route to nest boxes