The neighbouring village of Charlton Musgrove is celebrating a great success this week with the discovery and ringing of three Barn Owl chicks at its nesting box, placed just this winter. Chris Sperring, broadcaster and naturalist, visited the site this week and congratulated the landowner for providing the ideal foraging area for the birds, a 10 m wide field border with uncut grass, producing an ideal hunting territory. Chris said the endangered Barn Owls had suffered a triple whammy this year - a harsh winter followed by a late spring resulted in many losses of adults - late growth of grass resulted in few Field Voles, the birds main food source - Finally, when the grass did grow and the surviving birds stated to breed, it was grass-cutting and grazing time. He feels that protected field margins are vital for the Barn Owl's survival. Can we improve the prospects for our own Barn Owl?