A CONSERVATION project which has bred more than 200 owls in Wokingham has seen a new group of birds fly the nest.

Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) has enjoyed watching 11 of its barn owls take their first flight, according to the findings of the summer survey of the area's barn owl boxes.

More than 20 barn owl boxes were installed on telegraph poles and in trees to help keep the rare species thriving in the borough.

By providing a place for them to nest and being a good hunting ground, conservationists wanted to boost the numbers in the area.

Councillor Parry Batth, executive member for environment and leisure, said: "The council’s long-running barn owl conservation project helps ensure we are doing everything we can to keep this beautiful species thriving in the Wokingham Borough.

"Our officers do excellent work alongside kind and interested volunteers across our area to keep the

boxes in great condition and provide a perfect nesting site for barn owls."

The project launched in 2002 and has seen a total of 250 chicks being born.

Working alongside the Barn Owl Conservation Network and the British Trust of Ornithologists, the project works to maintain the boxes and monitor the number of chicks being born in the area each year, feeding into the national statistics for the bird of prey.

Kestrels have also taken a liking to the nesting areas.

Cllr Batth added: "As a rural area with lots of countryside, we do all we can to boost biodiversity and provide areas where all types of wildlife can live happily.”