Barn owls go global from Lorton Meadows in Weymouth

DWT is excited to announce that a webcam, installed in a nest box in Lorton Meadows Conservation Centre in Weymouth, is producing live footage that can be watched all over the globe of two barn owls incubating four eggs.

The webcam, which was first installed in 2010 by Wildlife Windows, has featured breeding pairs of barn owls, kestrels and tawny owls, but last year it had no resident birds.

DWT’s Communications Officer, Sally Welbourn said, “We were all disappointed last year when no one took up residence in the barn owl box at Lorton, so this is such an exciting time and the webcam is a great way for everyone to follow their progress. Once the eggs have hatched, they won’t leave the nest until they have all their plumage and are at least 9-10 weeks old; they could continue to roost in the box for another 25 weeks, so we have a few months ahead to watch them grow and develop.

“Barn owls are now a rare sight in the countryside, and the future for these birds is uncertain, which makes this webcam even more special.”

Lisa Worthington from Dorset Tea, the sponsors of the webcam said, “…The Dorset Tea™ team are very excited about the chicks hatching now that there are four eggs. We feel lucky to live in such a beautiful county where the wildlife is so abundant and we want people to enjoy this at the same time as savouring our tea which is inspired by life in Dorset.”