Conservationists are ‘thrilled’ at the birth of three barn owl chicks on a nature friendly Co Down farm after a less productive 2021 for the protected species.
With just 30 breeding pairs of the vulnerable birds across Northern Ireland, Ulster Wildlife and RSPBNI have been working with landowners to try and halt their decline.
Ballycruttle Farm owner Dawn Stocking jumped at the chance to help, asking for nesting boxes on her farm after hearing the barn owls’ distinctive screech and seeing the ghostly-white bird close up around two years ago.
