Peter's passion is owl welfare

Jun 22 2005 By Anna Lognonne, The Journal

Many farmers let their collie curl up on the mat in their kitchen but not many can profess to having a tawny owl perched on their chair.

However that is the sight that greets anyone who visits Morpeth farmer Peter Middleton, who has given the injured owl temporary residence in his kitchen until he is well enough to be moved into his own purpose built aviary on the farm.

"I'm sure my neighbours thought I was eccentric before the tawny owl arrived, but I don't know what they'll think now," joked Mr Middleton, who has set up his own owl sanctuary at High Trewitley Farm.

However, Mr Middleton's passion for British owls and the countryside in general means that his farm has become a haven for the birds, and the injured tawny owl, which has only one eye and suffers from brain damage, is not the only injured bird recuperating on the premises.

Mr Middleton said: "Of the seven owls that we have at the farm, we have two that were injured, the tawny owl in the kitchen and also another Tawny owl, which broke its wing. Unfortunately, neither will be able to be released into the wild.

"Over the years I've also had about three or four owls passed on to me from our local vets Robson and Prescott. John Prescott is recognised as an expert at looking after injured birds and it's great that we have someone so knowledgeable so close by to help us with any health queries we have with the birds."

Now Mr Middleton is hoping to encourage others to take an interest in the birds by opening up Trewitley Owls - which is home to tawny, a European eagle, a Bengali and barn owls - to the public later on this summer.

Visitors will have to book in advance, because Mr Middleton wants the visits to be educational as well as fun, and he hopes that by talking directly to the public about the habits and requirements of the owls, he can generate more interest in their preservation.

Mr Middleton has always been interested in birds of prey, but it was his neighbour David Wood, from Whinny Hill Farm, who encouraged him to do more to protect the barn owls living in the area.

He said: "David has been involved in conservation work long before it became a buzzword in farming and a while back he released two barn owls into the wild under the direction and auspices of the Hawk and Owl Trust.

"Not long after that he came down to see me and he brought with him an injured barn owl that had broken its wing, and I helped to look after it. I suppose it all started from there."

Since then Mr Middleton and Mr Wood have worked closely with the Hawk and Owl Trust, and have put up a number of owl nesting boxes on their farms.

They are also both involved in Countryside Stewardship Schemes, which have helped to create habitats suitable for the owls to hunt in.

"I've been involved in the Countryside Stewardship Scheme for eight years and in that time we have planted a field with native grasses to provide an ideal habitat for the small mammals that the owls prey on," he said. "We've also created six metre field margins around the arable fields and planted small plantations. However the work we have done is just small-scale compared to the work David has done."

But between them, the farmers have created the perfect environment for the owls and they now have three or four nesting pairs living on their farms.

Mr Middleton said: "Experts have told us that the number of barn owls rises and falls in direct comparison to the number of voles and mice available to them. It's as simple as that.

"So by creating habitats that are ideal for the small mammals, we are helping the birds."