It's early days yet, but monitoring of nests in SW Ireland in recent weeks has shown healthy brood sizes and several new sites. An example of six broods examined in just the last week showed 4, 4, 4, 3, 4 and 4 chicks at each, a very high overall average. Of course, there is a long way to go yet, and fledging will not happen for another 5 or 6 weeks for even the eldest of these chicks, but so far this season, the signs are good.
Four Barn Owl chicks, about two to three weeks old, at a site in Co. Kerry (M.O'Clery, under licence from NPWS).
Two of four Barn Owl chicks, about two weeks old, at a new nest box site in Co. Cork (M.O'Clery, under licence from NPWS).
Another promising sign is that, at most of the sites examined, there has been a healthy surplus of food in the box with, in one case, seven Bank Voles lying on the floor of the nest site, ready for eating.
