Barn Owl update

Some interesting stuff just back from BTO.

Male Barn Owl we controlled for the 3rd year running was initially ringed near Pocklington. He bred at one site in 2007 and reared 4 chicks and then moved to another site 3 miles away with a new female and reared 4 chicks in 2008. We controlled him this spring back at the first site with a 3rd female in March. This female was subsequently found dead 6 weeks later in Cheshire.

found freshly dead 12/5/09
Risley, near Warrington, Cheshire
45 days, 92km 232 degrees

To summarise we have one male from Pocklington and a male from Notts breeding in the area( one of which has had 3 females in 3 years), a female that has left at the start of the breeding season nearly 100km, a female and son that left a perfectly good breeding site and pair up together 10 miles away and another female that's still going strong after she was initially ringed as a 3 year old in 2004.....and a dark breasted bird that had the "experts" equally spilt on whether or not it was a guttata.