Novel use of Owl Box

[Rolfe 2]

The "Owl Lady" as she is known around here, asked a few years back if she could site a few owl boxes in the little spinneys and copses on the golf course where I do the wildlife management. I regularly check, clean out, and report any "Owl" activity to her for her records as she monitors the Barn Owl population in the area. One particular box (completely sited in the wrong place for owls) is used regularly by the grey squirrels as a breeding box and also as a weather proof drey for generally laying up in. Ever the opourtunist I soon saw the potential for some serious grey squirrel control here as the box has never had an owl or any other bird decide to nest in it. Twice this year i have taken out and culled two lots of youngsters from the box and trapped many adults inside using a Mk 6 Fenn trap. The box is sited on a well used (by squirrels) oak tree about 20 ft up the trunk..........and by a little tinkering to restrict the entrance i have got what is basically a tunnel trap for squirrels fixed to a tree. This has given me some new ideas and i am working on a similar design to make a permanent tunnel trap that will fix to a tree for grey squirrel control.

[ianrob 2]

Good idea Rolfe and away from prying eyes too.

[Rolfe 2]

  ianrob said:

Good idea Rolfe and away from prying eyes too.

And more importantly..........out of reach of thieving fingers also

[gerjan 7]

A ranger found an racon in an owl box here (Holland) a month ago, that strange 'cause racoons don't live here.

[Tiff 36]

LOL that must have been a surprise, an unhappily trapped coon can sure make a racket!