Time for the Barn Owl Chicks to Fly the Nest | Discover Wildlife | Robert E Fuller

The barn owl chicks have fledged. My cameras caught all the action as they prepared for their first flights, flapping their wings to strengthen their wing muscles and hopping up the sides of the nest box. Then the important day came when the most adventurous chick bobbed up to the entrance of the nest hole.
As they practised, their parents brought them food. Interestingly, it was mainly the male who fed them, bringing small rodents and voles. Then at 9 weeks old the first two chicks fledged the nest. It was magical to see them fly free.
These two owlets moved into the tawny owl's old nest box, Beech Stump, leaving the third chick in Elm Stump alone. Interestingly there was a stock dove already in this box sitting on eggs. Despite being so young, the two owlets pushed it out. There was even more drama when a jackdaw invaded the nest and tucked in to one of the stockdove's eggs!
This last chick didn't look well. It was lethargic and stumbled often. I kept a close eye on it, but gradually the owlet recovered and is now also flying free.
The barn owlets remained in the garden for a few more weeks. Meanwhile, their parents were making plans for a new family! The adult pair moved into the kestrel's old nest box, Sycamore Stump, and the female laid four more eggs. So we are now waiting for another brood here at Fotherdale!
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I am a British wildlife artist based in Thixendale, North Yorkshire, UK. I build ideal habitats to encourage wildlife into my garden and use nest cams to study their behaviour. These studies inform my paintings. I share the best of my video research on this channel for free. If you would like to support my work please consider a small donation here: www.paypal.com/donate/?cmd=_s...
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Music: www.zapsplat.com
Filmed Summer 2019