…my little barn owl died during the early hours of Thursday morning. I am so sad and sorry I didn’t manage to save him.
I have met, been encouraged and selflessly helped by some remarkable people in the last few days.
My vets, Penbode in Holsworthy; the lovely women I met in the waiting room there who took the trouble to phone me with the number of a friend of hers with a supply of frozen mice.
Honeybrook Farm, excellent suppliers of frozen day-old chicks, who didn’t want me to fork out a mass of money for hundreds of unwanted chicks, and suggested someone fairly local they thought could help.
That very person…who, with extraordinary generosity, sent up to me via one of his employees, a free box of chicks and an offer to help in whatever way he could.
Last but not least the Devon Barn Owl Trust.
Thank you all.
...it was not to be
20 comments
Comments feed for this article
July 30, 2010 at 11:34 am
Mopsa
Oh noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!! But you tried, you really tried.
August 2, 2010 at 11:03 am
paula
I know…so very very sad….
July 30, 2010 at 11:48 am
Sandie
sorry to hear that – I live up in the high North Pennines and we sadly lost several owls of all kinds during this severe winter – you did your best……Sandie xx
August 2, 2010 at 11:21 am
paula
Sandie – good to meet you via twitter, thank you for taking the trouble to comment too. Your products look and sound gorgeous, I must indulge…!
So sad about the wee owlet, I really thought I might save him. We’ve lost owls too, more to do with the very wet summers we’ve had over the last three years.
July 30, 2010 at 11:53 am
Mrs Jones
Oh dear, poor thing, but at least you tried and gave it the best chance it was going to get.
August 2, 2010 at 11:23 am
paula
I know, I just felt I could have done more…probably not…but I just felt it.
July 30, 2010 at 1:09 pm
Caroline
What sad news, but you tried your best
August 2, 2010 at 11:25 am
paula
…and I was going to send you all those pictures of him getting stronger…life eh.
July 30, 2010 at 10:15 pm
elizabethm
So sorry to read this. You are a hero for trying.
August 2, 2010 at 11:26 am
paula
Thank you elizabeth…
July 31, 2010 at 7:21 am
Jane
Really sorry to hear about your little owlet. You did everything you could.
Bob and Brenda (the barn owls we have been watching via webcam at one of our Dorset Wildlife Trust reserves) had 5 eggs this year, and have just managed to fledge 3 chicks. We are amazed as there was one enormous chick (people called him “Boblet” and 2 tiny ones) However, they somehow made it through without being eaten by Boblet!
Thousands upon thousands of people from all over the world watched their every move (they did the Irish gig a lot) and learning about these wonderful owls via the webcam. We hope to do the same thing again next year.
Hopefully some of these chicks will eventually make their way to your neck of the woods. You certainly have the perfect farm for them.
August 2, 2010 at 11:31 am
paula
Boblet – love it! Webcams are extraordinary. We also learnt a huge amount about our owls too via a webcam (before it broke!). Perhaps we’ll get another one.
We’re sad as it’s the first time they’ve bred for at least 3-4 years. Ah well better luck next year we hope.
How are you? We’ve both been a bit silent haven’t we!!!
July 31, 2010 at 10:17 pm
Maggie @ Devon eco lodges
What a pity – but what did for the adult? And what about the other adult bird?
August 2, 2010 at 11:44 am
paula
We think it was probably a juvenile, one of the other chicks. Predated probably, we’ve a lot of tawnys, apparently they take barn owls. Otherwise we don’t know, no adults have been heard or seen since, though that wouldn’t be unusual.
August 1, 2010 at 7:14 pm
Tony Wildish
it’s a real shame the little fellow died, but it’s heartwarming to know that you tried, and that so many other people went out of their way to help. One hears so much about how badly we are damaging nature these days, it’s good to know there are people who care and will do what they can, even if they don’t always win.
August 2, 2010 at 11:49 am
paula
Tony, thank you for taking the time to comment. Very interesting blog you have too.
Yes, it was heart warming indeed and I felt immensely privileged, in all ways.
August 4, 2010 at 9:32 pm
Sian
Such a shame. At least you tried your very best.
August 7, 2010 at 12:10 pm
paula
Sad
August 26, 2010 at 7:42 pm
heidi
Oh Paula, you did all you could, had the support of some great folks. Your love and respect for the animals on your land and in your care is a awesome.
Rescuing wild things is always tricky, and sometimes they are just to traumatised to rally back. Take heart!
September 5, 2010 at 10:41 pm
paula
Oh heidi you ALWAYS say the best things, you really do.
Yup wild things are difficult and as you say the whole drama can just be too much.