Forestry Commission - News - owl fan earns his wings

The UK’s longest running tawny owl project has gained a new recruit intent on earning his wings.

Nature lover Paul Hotchin opted to quit the rat race five years ago, moving from West Yorkshire to the peace and solitude of Kershope Forest, Cumbria. But while people might be a bit thin on the ground locally, wildlife is everywhere!

So now he’s doing his bit for a greener future by joining naturalists working on a Forestry Commission-backed owl study that began in 1980. He will link up with two of the north’s most knowledgeable bird experts, Brian Little and Martin Davison, who have worked on the project for decades.

Over the past 28 years, nearly 230 owl boxes have been erected in Kershope and other woods in Kielder Forest. Last year they provided a ready made des res for 200 chicks who successfully fledged the nest. Paul said:

“With so many boxes to monitor keeping tabs on the owls has become an Herculean task. My job is to check the 36 boxes in Kershope for signs of occupation and note whether they need repairing. Once the breeding season gets underway, I’ll weigh and measure eggs, which allows us to work out when they will hatch. This summer I’ll be looking to learn how to ring chicks with the aim of eventually getting a full permit.”

Kershope’s tawnies are helping to re-write the record books. Previously it was reckoned the bird would be thin on the ground in an upland wood, preferring lower elevations. But that notion has been overturned. What's more, the owl project last year discovered a 20 year old tawny mum in the forest – by far the oldest breeding tawny ever recorded. Paul will be a keeping a special eye open for her this spring – if she makes it to 21 she will equal the oldest tawny known in the UK.

Paul adds:

“We also have a Barn owl box nearby, which has been well used, mirroring the fact that the species is doing well locally. I love Kershope’s solitude, but with so much wildlife around, you’re never really on your own.”

When he’s not checking owl boxes, Paul and his wife, Sue, run a software testing and training company. She travels the nation, but he stays putt looking after the paper work. The morning rush hour at their Kershope home consists of red squirrels scurrying across the garden.

There’s a chance to find out more about tawnies by joining experts for a special Owl Night at Kielder Castle, Kielder Forest, on 25 May from 8pm. But it's likely to be popular so you will need to book your place on 01434 250209. It is just one of the exciting events being staged by the Kielder Partnership for the 2^nd Kielder Wildlife Month in May. Besides owls, you can go in search of wild goats, look out for bats and take a trip to the remarkable Border Mires – one of Britain’s most important bogs, now undergoing restoration. To find out more visit www.forestry.gov.uk/NorthEastEngland

NOTE TO EDITOR
The Tawny owl project was devised by Dr Steve Petty, formerly with the Forestry Commission, to shed light on how the creature fared in an upland forest. Natural nesting sites like hollows in trees will develop as the forest matures, boosting the owl’s fortunes and making them less reliant on boxes.

The Forestry Commission is the government department responsible for protecting, expanding and promoting the sustainable management of woods and forests and increasing their value to society and the environment. Forestry makes a real contribution to sustainable development, providing social and environmental benefits arising from planting and managing attractive, as well as productive, woodlands.

Media calls: Richard Darn on 01226 246351. Mobile: 0775 367 0038.