A PAIR of barn owls who have successful raised two chicks in a nest box on the Ards Peninsula have sparked hope among wildlife conservationists.
Born this summer, the chicks are the first known barn owls in Northern Ireland to have been raised in a man-made nest box.
Local farmer Michael Calvert, who put up two nest boxes six years ago, said: “It’s been a joy to watch the birds grow, hear them screech and see them learning to fly.”
Through its Be there for Barn Owls project, Ulster Wildlife is helping reverse the decline in these iconic birds by working with farmers and landowners, while volunteer fieldworkers are currently scouring the countryside for signs of nesting sites.
If you have any information about barn owl nesting sites or would like to report a barn owl sighting, contact Ulster Wildlife on 028 9046 3112, email barnowls@ulsterwildlife.org or visit www.ulsterwildlife.org/barnowl
THE Conservation Volunteers is running a Family Fun Day at Ormeau Park in Belfast on Sunday October 4 from 12noon to 3pm as part of Big Green Weekend.
There will be a raffle, live music, a timetable of upcoming volunteering opportunities, while participants can get involved in making bird feeders and boxes, mini-beast activities and hotels, natural collage/art, kites and rock painting.
