News Item (31-10-2008)

Barn owls have struggled for many years now in Chesire to maintain sufficient numbers to survive the rigours of our variable weather conditions and loss of hunting habitat and natural nesting sites.

A number of barn owl groups have been established throughout the country to help support and conserve this protected bird. But their work is entirely voluntary and reliant upon financial support from local businesses, councils, and similar interested and supporting organisations.

One group, the Mid Chesire Bran Owl Conservation Group, has obtained such funding and support from Biffaward - a multi million pound environmental fund, managed by the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT), which utilises landfill tax credits donated by Biffa Waste Services. The support is over three years and is for the provision of materials for 60 new nesting boxes in and around the Warrington area.

The support started in early 2008, but it was not anticipated that there would be much news at this early stage of the project.

How wrong we were. Although only 14 boxes have been erected so far, already a pair of barn owls have bred successfully in one of the new nesting boxes.

2008 looks like being a very poor year for barn owls both regionally and nationally, but with early success of the boxes provided through Biffaward's support, there is at least some hope for the barn owls in the northern parts of Chesire.

-ENDS-