2003
Report
2003 in West Cheshire
Barn Owls in West Cheshire have had another good year. 2001 saw a significant improvement over the previous years from a starting point of 9 breeding pairs for all of Cheshire. 2002 saw further improvements in the number of breeding pairs and was an exceptional year for breeding barn owls in the UK. However 2003 has been another exceptionally good year for the Broxton Group. This has not been the case nationally and West Cheshire is bucking the trend. There are all sorts of theories as to why the national picture has been so poor but it seems fair to claim that the breeding successes in West Cheshire are largely due to the response of Cheshire farmers to conservation and stewardship, & the energetic efforts of our group in providing 165 nest boxes on poles, in trees and in barns. We continue to receive reports of barn owl sightings from around the county. These reports give the group useful feed back on barn owl movements. This network has proved crucial to our work in the past and will continue to be so. Our thanks to all our supporters and collaborators.
The National Picture
The newsletter of The Barn Owl Conservation Network (BOCN), carries a review of some early 2003 breeding results and compares them with the exceptional 2002 season. Colin Shawyer (consultant to Hawk & Owl Trust) records that 2002 was the best year for 20 years for Barn Owls in the UK. Colin goes on to say "that unlike last year 2003 is likely to prove the worst year for Barn Owls for half a century. Fresh pellets in boxes are indicating that one or more adults are occupying their traditional 'territories' but by June very few pairs were actively breeding throughout much of central and eastern England. In my 1982-1985 survey I reported that in 1958 very few Barn Owls bred which was indicated by the fact that no Barn Owls were ringed in Britain, something that had never happened since 1920, soon after organised bird ringing began. However, 2003 is likely to prove the worst year for Barn Owls nationally for half a century. A low vole year in England may be the reason, with a very dry spring causing severely reduced growth of young grass stems on which voles depend for food." Colin speculates that this would prevent early breeding in voles exacerbating an already low population.
Annual Surveys
The annual surveys of the four areas of West Cheshire have been carried out. By contrast with Colin Shawyer's experience, we have been able to ring 68 pulli from breeding sites in 22 boxes and a tree. In all we have identified 31 breeding sites in 2003, the best year so far. Reports from farmers would indicate a healthy vole population in Cheshire! The box erection teams have put in a lot of hard work putting up 41 new boxes so far this year to take us to a total of 175. A few of these sites have become moribund and will eventually be removed from the database.
The Future - 2004 & beyond
There is still a need for boxes in key areas of West Cheshire. FWAG (Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group) has informed us that an increasing number of landowners and farmers are going into Countryside Stewardship. The scheme provides for the funding of barn owl boxes in suitable habitat and an estimated 100 boxes may be needed for Cheshire in the coming year.
Funding 2003
We have received support from Chester City Council (£500), the Environment Agency & various individual donors including a very generous £100 from one lady. Talks given by George, John & Bernard have raised almost £500 in the last 18months.
Box Monitoring
There has been much discussion by the working party committee regarding the amount we might learn from placing a camera in one of our boxes. Any resulting video footage could also be used for conservation promotion. The possibility of a grant to fund such a project is to be investigated.
Summary of Breeding Survey 2003
Brief breeding details are shown below:
| Pole Boxes | 15 |
| Tree Boxes | 6 |
| Barn Boxes | 1 |
| Natural Tree Sites | 9 |
| Total | 31 |