The Owl Conservation Project: Thermal Imaging Surveys
Mend the Gap has funded a thermal imaging camera for
The Owl Conservation Project to survey owls.
The camera will be used across the Mend the Gap area to help survey populations of owls. This includes Long-Eared Owls, Barn Owls, Little Owls and Tawny Owls.
The Owl Conservation Project is a community interest company dedicated to all the British owl species. Their objectives are to undertake species monitoring, install nest boxes, ring chicks and give advice to landowners on habitat improvements.
In the autumn of 2025, the night-time thermal camera will be used to survey winter roosting areas for Long-Eared Owls, Little Owls and Tawny Owls. As hunters at the top of a food chain, The UK’s owl species can give an indication of the health of the ecosystems in which they live. Monitoring the size and geographic spread of owl populations gives valuable insight into the health of the birds, and indicates the status of their diverse prey and of the habitats they require.
Long-eared Owl. Image: Neil Brailsford
Spring 2026
The second phase of the project will help to identify and monitor existing nest sites for Barn Owls, alongside Long-Eared Owls, Little Owls and Tawny Owls. The Owl Conservation Project has also been working with pupils at Wallingford School to construct new Barn Owl boxes, which will be incorporated into suitable new sites within the region along the River Thames.
Image: Neil Brailsford
The project will continue into 2027. The data collected will be incorporated into a report for Mend the Gap and shared with recording schemes including Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre (TVERC) and the BTO.
Find out more about the work of The Owl Conservation Project
Long-Eared Owls. Image: Neil Brailsford