Wildlife Thriving at Wold Escapes as Barn Owls and Kestrels Raise Their Young
Wildlife Thriving at Wold Escapes as Barn Owls and Kestrels Raise Their Young
If you’re staying at Wold Escapes this summer then you may be treated to a truly special sight, with barn owls and kestrels successfully raising chicks in bird boxes on our farm in East Yorkshire.
During a recent inspection of the nesting boxes by JSR Farms’ Ecologist Will Heap and licensed bird ringer Rob Salter, a remarkable eight barn owl owlets and two kestrel chicks were discovered at several locations around the farm. It is the first time chicks have been seen nesting in some of these boxes, including those on the Wold Escapes site close our cookery school, glamping cabins and touring caravan park.
The young barn owls ranged from just a few days old to around 10–12 weeks old. Three fluffy owlets were found at boxes at our Chalk Stream Sanctuary, two older chicks were discovered in a nearby field, while another three tiny chicks and three unhatched eggs were found in a nesting box really close by. However the most exciting news of the day was that two kestrel chicks were also found in a nearby nesting box – another first!
If you are coming to stay with us then you might catch a glimpse of the male barn owl hunting and returning to feed its family, particularly around dusk. All the chicks were found to be healthy and well-fed, suggesting there is plenty of their favourite food or prey living in and around the surrounding farmland.
JSR Farms’ are doing loads of great work to create and manage habitats that encourage wildlife to flourish. The installation and maintenance of nesting boxes has played an important role in supporting local bird populations, as well as creating areas where animals like voles can thrive as a food source.
Rob Salter, who monitors barn owls, tawny owls, little owls and kestrels across the East Riding, shares his information with the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO). They use information from bird ringing collected across the country to monitor breeding success, survival rates and population trends, helping conservationists better understand and protect these amazing birds.
Our findings also reflect encouraging news for barn owls nationally. Once considered a species of conservation concern, barn owls have moved from the UK’s Red List to the Green List thanks in part to increased nesting opportunities provided by purpose-built owl boxes, replacing the old trees and buildings they once relied upon.
The kestrels, however, are an even more significant success story. Their numbers have declined in recent years, resulting in the species moving from the Green List to the Amber List of conservation concern. Discovering healthy kestrel chicks on the farm is really is exciting as it shows that what we are doing on our small patch of land is working.
Whether you’re enjoying a peaceful walk through the surrounding countryside, relaxing outside your glamping cabin, visiting us in your caravan or motorhome, or heading to our cookery school, Wold Escapes offers more than just beautiful scenery. You will be visiting the home of some magestic animals.
As always, we ask guests to enjoy these wonderful birds from a respectful distance, always keeping dogs on leads, and allow them to continue raising the next generation in peace.
