Issue Number 39 - SpringSpring 20082008 FEEDBACK Waterleat, Ashburton, Devon TQ13 7HU - (01364) 653026 - www.barnowltrust.org.uk Reg Charity: No 299 835 International Issue Barn Owl MBE r e p a p d e l c y c e r n o d e t n i r P FEEDBACK 39 - SPRING 2008 THE BARN OWL TRUST - CONSERVING -1T-HE BARN OWL AND ITS ENVIRONMENT Welcome to Feedback Welcome to an International issue of Barn Owl breeding sites in Cheshire in 2007 of photographs. Of course the BOT’s own Feedback where you have the opportunity to with a total of 651 confirmed young. This site will give you the latest news, information, hear from groups and individuals around the compares to 36 breeding pairs and 96 tips for recycling, links, pictures and much, world involved in conserving and studying young recorded in 2006. They have 864 much more so add it to your favourites and these amazing birds. Following our nestboxes installed - well done Cheshire. call in regularly: www.barnowltrust.org.uk attendance at the World Owl Conference in Holland last year (page 5) we invited some On our front cover is a photograph from Amir In this issue of Feedback we bring you the of the other participants to share news of Ezer (Israel) which we couldn’t resist sharing latest BOT news and we have a very their work and their perspectives with you - with you. The inset features the MBE exciting update on the wildlife refuge (page pages 6 -12. We hope you will enjoy reading (Member of the British Empire) emblem 5) built in 2006. On page 4 Julie reports our their pieces as much as we did and awarded to David (page 3) in December. He Bird News and the latest on the ‘Heligan appreciate how good their English is. accepted it on behalf of everyone involved Hooligan’. There is news on the comings with the Trust and its work, so we thought and goings at the Trust on page 14 and Whilst most European Barn Owl populations everyone should get a good look at it; most events and supporters news on pages 13 are experiencing similar problems to us, of us had never seen one before. and 15 respectively - we hope you might be both Israel and the Malaysia Peninsular Congratulations to everyone who has able to join in with something to help us have booming populations and an amazing helped; it really is a shared award. celebrate our 20th Anniversary this year. ‘take-up’ rate for their nestboxes. In a recent email Motti Charter (Israel) says, “We added For those of you who use the Internet there We are holding our Annual Walk and Picnic 30 Barn Owl and 32 kestrel boxes on poles are several web addresses included that we in June and fervently hope for better weather over the last two days. Tomorrow we will recommend a look at. If you want to find out than last year. We are also having a add another 10 Barn Owl boxes on trees.”! what it’s like to volunteer for a Barn Owl Supporters Day in July (page 3) to celebrate conservation group in Hungary check out our 20th Birthday and it would be great to On the UK front - Thank you to Bernard the link on page 12 and if, like us, you found share these events with you but, if you are Wright of Broxton Barn Owl Group for letting the Little Owl picture on page 11 fascinating, too far away, we’d still like to invite you to us know that there were 156 successful visit André’s website for an amazing range celebrate this incredible milestone - see page 15. In this Issue... The next issue of Feedback will be our 40th and we are planning a bumper edition to record our anniversary so don’t forget to Welcome to Feedback 2 send us your news and photos! In the Barn Owl Trust News 3 meantime we hope you enjoy this issue and that it encourages you to do your bit for Bird News 4 conservation. Maybe it helps to hear from ‘Hannibal’ the Heligan Hooligan 4 people all over the world working to More Barn Owl Trust News 5 conserve Barn Owls and other wildlife. Czech Republic - Sova pálená 6 Together we can really make a world of difference. Thank you for your support. Belgium - Kerkuil 7 Malaysia - Jampuk Putih 8 Eds. Frances & Sandra Portugal - Coruja-das-torres 9 Israel - Tenshemet 10 Holland - Kerkuil 11 Join us for a Germany - Schleirule 12 Bracken Bashing Day Hungarian Trip 12 on BOT Info 13 Saturday 5th July Team News 14 10.00am - 4.00pm Supporters News 15 Thanks and Things 16 This is an opportunity to see the Tail Piece 16 Lennon Legacy Project field and help us to control the bracken. Cover Photo: Amir Ezer Inset: Pictures 1 & 3 BOT library, 2 British Ceremonial Arts Ltd We provide gloves and big sticks. Feedback is produced for the Friends of the Barn Owl Trust You need to bring suitable clothing e.g. by staff and volunteers. sunhats and a packed lunch Many thanks to everyone who provided words and pictures for this issue. Editorial team: Frances Ramsden and Sandra Reardon. It’s a fun day and really helps to control the bracken Copy date for issue No 40 is Monday 18 August Places are limited so please phone Send your contributions - news, letters, pictures and information to: the office or email us if you are Feedback, Barn Owl Trust, Waterleat, Ashburton, Devon TQ13 7HU interested in coming along. Email: [email protected] Website: www.barnowltrust.org.uk 01364 653026 FEEDBACK 39 - SPRING 2008 -2- BOT News An Inviitation to our 20th Birthday This year the Barn Owl Trust celebrates 20 years as a registered charity. Although the work of the Trust began back in 1985 and the Trust’s Deed is dated 25th December 1987, the date recognised as our ‘official birthday’ is 28th July as this was when we received our charity number. What a 20 years……. None of us involved back then had any idea how things would develop, how much we would achieve and how many wonderful people would get involved and support us. Who knows what the next 20 years will bring? To mark the occasion we are inviting you to celebrate our birthday with your friends and neighbours. We hope that you might hold an event: a coffee morning, dinner party or something else to raise funds and awareness of the Trust and its work. If you are interested please ask for our Party Pack or talk to Caroline on 01364 653026. Photo: British Ceremonial Arts Ltd. We are celebrating with a Supporters’ Day on David meets the Queen Saturday 12 July and inviting you to come and visit the Lennon Legacy Project Field. On December the 11th BOT Head of Trust’. He was accompanied by his mum Ida, We held our first Supporters’ Day in July Conservation David Ramsden went to his mother-in-law Beryl and his wife Frances. 2005, it was a great success. Since then Buckingham Palace for his Investiture. David accepted his award on behalf of we’ve built new hedge banks, created the David was one of 94 people receiving everyone involved with the Trust and its ponds and begun work on the Forde Orchard awards on the day. His MBE was presented achievements. He said, “It was an amazing site with the aim of eventually replanting it as by the Queen for ‘services to the Barn Owl day and an incredible experience”. q an orchard. A Legacy for Conservation On Supporters’ Day there will be a short presentation to explain the objectives of the LLP and you will see the field as it was when With expenditure we bought it and see the changes month by outstripping our income month. Then there will be an opportunity to yet again, we had visit our workplace and take a guided walk predicted a funding deficit around the field to admire the wildlife at first for the third year in a row. hand. Please note: the walk will be Now, thanks to a approximately one hour and the site is an significant legacy from upland field with uneven terrain. We can’t Terence Noel Hughes, promise that you will see Barn Owls but you we should end the will get to see conservation in action and gain financial year with some an insight into the work of the BOT as well as funds towards future seeing the most wonderful views from the top work. of the hill. You can bring along a packed lunch and we will provide refreshments and Legacy income is hopefully cake! increasingly important for the Trust because of the **Booking is essential; because of the difficulty in obtaining logistics involved we are only able to cope grants for our general with a small percentage of our supporters. All conservation work and visitors will be brought in by mini-bus from information and advice The creation of the stone bank in Forde Orchard will provide a new Ashburton, so if you would like to join us on service. In fact, since the habitat for reptiles, insects and plants Photo: Matthew Twiggs this memorable day we suggest that you get Vivien Lennon legacy in in touch as soon as possible to avoid 2001, which enabled us to buy the LLP field, place in the LLP field. The creation of 230 disappointment. the only years when we haven’t had a deficit metres of new hedge bank and 120 metres of We look forward to introducing you to the have been due to legacies.