Good news for Cheshire's barn owls (From Northwich Guardian)

Good news for Cheshire's barn owls

10:10am Saturday 28th July 2012 in News

A RECORD year for barn owls will be celebrated with a family fun day in Sandiway.

Mid Cheshire Barn Owl Conservation Group has organised the event at the Cheshire Waterlife and Falconry Centre, at Blakemere Craft Centre, from 3pm on September 1.

The free event will include a barbecue and flying display, among other activities.

The group is celebrating the steady increase in Cheshire’s barn owls in the past decade.

Recorded breeding pairs increased from 10 in 2000 to 61 in 2003 and to 160 breeding pairs and 650 chicks in 2007.

More than 200 breeding pairs are anticipated for 2012 and, although affected by the very wet weather, there are 500 chicks expected to fledge this year.

More than 95 per cent of the breeding birds live in the 1,500 boxes made and put up by the county’s conservation groups.

John Mycock, from Mid Cheshire Barn Owl Conservation Group, said: “The life cycle of the barn owl is very weather and habitat reliant and, still with relatively low numbers, their continued existence in the county overall is still precarious.

“Consequently, the work of the various barn owl conservation groups in Cheshire, helped by the assistance of the many supportive farmers and landowners, is a continuing and on-going activity.”

Recording of barn owl sightings and nests is an important part of the group’s work.

Anyone with any information about the location of any barn owls should contact John Mycock on 07970 235473.