Monday 8th March 2021 - Somerset Wildlife Trust are thrilled to be able to announce that its website will now be live-streaming video directly from a barn owl box in the Blackdown Hills, where barn owl couple, Finn and Orla have set up home for the second year.

The barn owl couple successfully fledged three chicks last year, and the Trust is keeping its fingers crossed that the pair will be parents again - this time the experience being shared and enjoyed by people that can now tune in on the Trust’s website.

The live-stream is the Trust’s first since 2014, when their barn owl couple, Boris and Brenda, became instant internet sensations, attracting over a million and a half visits from people all over the world who tuned in to see seven eggs hatch - an unusually large brood. 

The live-stream, funded by the Heritage Emergency Fund and installed by Wildlife Windows, will provide high quality video and sound from the new box, providing viewers with clear and unique view of barn owl family life inside the box for the next six months.

Kirby Everett, Head of Communications comments, “We are absolutely delighted to have a live barn owl feed up and running this year.  Lockdowns have brought many people across the country closer to nature, and made our lives all the richer for it. You can't get much closer than a live feed, so we hope people will really enjoy following the couple’s journey to parenthood and learning about the behaviour of these stunning birds. Sharing their world from within our homes will bring nature to many people who are still unable to get the outdoor nature experiences they previously so enjoyed."

“The prospect of future generations of Finn and Orla’s family not having safe homes is not one we want to entertain, and we hope the live feed will inspire everyone to find ways to help nature where they live. We will be providing lots of ideas on the live-feed’s web page, so tune in!”

The livestream is available to view here

Are you a company that wants to make an immediate difference?  We’re looking for a corporate sponsor for the six months that the feed is live.  Sponsorship funds raised will go directly to fund our work on wildlife habitats across the county and, at the same time demonstrate a commitment to restoring nature in the county.  Is this your company? Please get in touch: kirby.everett@somersetwildlife.org

ENDS

For interviews and further information please contact Beccy Willmetts on rebecca.willmetts@somersetwildlife.org

You can follow us on Twitter at @SomersetWT or Facebook on @Somersetwildlifetrust

Photo: Caption

Images are attached for use with this news release.  They are granted on a one-time use basis, in association with this release and the photographer must be credited. More images available on request.

About Somerset Wildlife Trust – www.somersetwildlife.org

Somerset’s wildlife is part of what makes living, working and visiting the county so special. Somerset Wildlife Trust has been protecting vulnerable wildlife and preserving Somerset’s wild places for over 50 years and, with over 20,000 members, is the largest conservation charity in the county.  Alongside our members and volunteers, we work year-round to protect wildlife, transform landscapes and put nature back into people’s lives. 

Our reserves holding of over 1,700 hectares incorporates a diverse range of habitats from wetlands to woodlands, grasslands and meadows, and provide secure environments for a diverse range of wildlife such as Dormice, Otters, Hedgehogs, Barn Owls and many other species - as well as providing safe havens for some of Somerset’s most iconic species such as Bittern and Large Blue butterfly.

The majority of our work is made possible through the support of our members and people who live and work in the county who choose to make donations, fundraise for us or leave generous gifts in their wills. By working together with our members and supporters we really can make a difference.