The 2026 breeding season has been a rewarding one for our resident Tawny Owls on a private Bedfordshire estate, and thanks to the remote monitoring cameras installed in and outside the nest box, we have once again been given a fascinating insight into their day-to-day lives.
The season began when Dawn laid her first egg on 13th March, followed by a second on 16th March and a third on 18th March. All three eggs hatched successfully, giving us high hopes for the family.
The remote nest box cameras provided a rare and detailed insight into the breeding season, recording each stage from incubation through to the growth and development of the chicks. From the quiet early days in the nest to the demanding period of rapid growth and feeding, they have allowed us to follow the story in a way that would otherwise remain completely hidden from view.
While all three eggs hatched successfully, the youngest chick sadly died shortly before fledging age after being outcompeted for food by its older siblings. Despite this loss, 2026 proved far more successful than 2025, when only one chick survived to be ringed during a season of scarce food supplies. This year, the cameras revealed an abundance of prey, with mice, rats and voles regularly brought to the nest, helping the remaining two chicks grow into healthy young owls.
Young Tawny Owls
The Big World Outside
Being Fed By Mum
Listen to that reassuring call
On 1st May 2026, under the guidance of my trainer from the Northants Ringing Group, both chicks were successfully ringed. The larger chick weighed an impressive 350g, while its sibling weighed 325g, both excellent weights that reflected the favourable conditions and plentiful food supply available this season.
Ringing provides valuable information about owl populations, survival rates and movements, helping us better understand and conserve these birds in the future.
Since ringing, both young owls have successfully fledged and left the nest box. Encouragingly, they have continued to be heard calling from the surrounding woodland in recent weeks, suggesting that all remains well as they begin life independently.
While the loss of the youngest chick was unfortunate, the successful fledging of two healthy young Tawny Owls represents a significant improvement on last year's outcome and highlights just how important food availability can be to breeding success.
Both young Tawny Owls leaving the nest box
For those of us fortunate enough to follow their journey through the cameras, Dawn and Dusk have once again provided a fascinating glimpse into the hidden lives of these woodland hunters. As the calls of the fledged youngsters sounds through the woodland trees, we can only hope they continue to thrive and perhaps one day raise families of their own, hopefully at another one of our monitored nest boxes.
Young Tawny Owl
Beginning Life Beyond The Nest Box
If you’re a landowner or farmer and would like to help support wildlife on your land, I’d be pleased to hear from you. We install nest boxes with remote cameras for Barn Owls, Tawny Owls, Little Owls, Kestrels and other species, offering safe nesting opportunities alongside a discreet way to observe their behaviour.
These projects contribute to local conservation efforts, improve understanding of breeding success, and help strengthen the link between farming, wildlife and the wider natural environment.
If you’d like to discuss a box installation and be part of future success stories, please do get in touch.