I have watched these chicks via nest cams from the moment the first egg was laid and it is great to see them now fending for themselves.
All five chicks have survived, mainly due to the fact that throughout the breeding season I put extra food out for the parent birds. Barn owls here on the Yorkshire Wolds didn't breed very well, if at all, last year so I'm hoping these five will go on to repopulate this area.
The fledglings are now feeding from a landing post I put out for them just 12 metres from my hide. Sometimes they all arrive at the feeding post together and jostle for position!
Their regular appearances here gives me the opportunity to photograph them often. Above is a shot of the adult female posing for my GoPro video camera.
You can watch the footage here:
I use the photographs that I take throughout the year as studies for my paintings. Below is a painting of the female hunting earlier this year.
Last week I cleaned out the nest box, which was very smelly, and relined it with wood chips. The male and female (pictured below) both went in shortly afterwards.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a second brood!
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