Owls have a hoot at Barnsley nature reserve

At least 14 owls, including all five British species, have found a new home at a nature park in Barnsley.

Short-eared, long-eared, little, barn and tawny owls have all been spotted at the Rabbit Ings Country Park between the villages of Royston and Shafton.

It is thought they may have come from Scandinavia and have taken up residence at Rabbit Ings because of the large amount of voles living there, which owls hunt.

Lyndsey Harston, 60, of Athersley South, walks his dog at Rabbit Ings and visits regularly to owl spot.

He said: "They first appeared in September and we think they may have come from Scandinavia searching for food, although there is no way of telling.

"They seem to have a set sequence - they come in on the north side and start searching. Whether they will stay or not, no-one knows."

Park ranger Mick Birkinshaw said there had been a couple of little owls on the park for a while and the short-eared owls had been spotted in September during a survey of the wildlife.

He said the unmistakable hooting of a tawny owl was heard shortly after and then the barn owl was seen hunting.

The four long-eared owls were spotted last week.

Mick said: "The short-eared owls are the stars of the show for me.

"They are beautiful birds which seem totally unconcerned by the presence of humans, in fact they seem to love the attention and can be seen displaying prominently on most days in groups of two, three or four often with several groups in different areas of the park."

He said people from as far away as Scotland, Nottingham , Wigan, Hull and York had come to see the short-eared owls.

Local bird expert Cliff Gorman, a regular visitor to the park, added: "For me, to have up to six short-eared, at least two little owl, up to six kestrels, two buzzards a barn owl and now long -eared owls regularly at one site, is special.

"To have so many top predators on one space is testament that the park is really rich in wildlife."