🦉 A Rare & Wonderful Arrival at Raylands Park! 🦉

We were thrilled to share a special event with our owners this week – the ringing of a new baby barn owl at Raylands.  This year, despite being one of the toughest on record for barn owls in Sussex, one brave baby barn owl has survived here at Raylands!

Earlier this season, we spotted three chicks in the nest. Now, just one remains — almost ready to take its first flight. We’re not sure if the others were eaten by an adult owl or had already fledged, but either way, this little survivor is a true success story in a challenging year.

Across over 60 nesting boxes in the district, only four have contained owls this year, and fewer than 10 chicks have been recorded across the whole of West Sussex. That makes our Raylands owlet even more precious.

The main challenge? A shortage of prey due to last winter’s poor acorn crop — fewer acorns mean fewer voles, which are a barn owl’s favourite meal.

We’re so proud to provide a safe home for these beautiful birds. Since building our first barn owl box, we’ve welcomed 29 baby barn owls into the world. This one is especially dear to us. 💛

📸 Please help us keep the owls safe — admire them from a distance and let them prepare for fledging in peace.