Flying High

When Carolyn Screech was a child, she found two abandoned baby owls which she named and looked after before eventually releasing them back into the wild, this experience created a lifelong passion for owls which led to the creation of the Screech Owl Sanctuary.

Starting out with a small collection in her garden, she was given a collection of captive birds by an elderly breeder which forced a move to a smallholding in 1990 and it was here that the Screech Owl Sanctuary was born.

Voicey the  Great Grey Owl in Flight

Barn Owl - Tyto alba

Fiona works at the Sanctuary as an apprentice and will learn all about how to look after the owls and how to handle them, she did an excellent job at the flying display with a variety of owl species. The centre has six British Barn Owls

Fiona with Angel an Ashy faced Owl-Tyto Glaucops

Voicey -  Great Grey Owl - Strix nebulosa lapponica

The centre has four Great Grey Owls, this is Voicey in flight, and with Fiona during the flying display. Displays are held three times a day. There is also the opportunity to meet some of the owls up close and to touch them. During the display people were given the opportunity to don the glove and have the owls fly to them.

The owl sanctuary includes a hospital where they treat sick and injured owls from all over the South West, many of the owls are released back into their former locations once they are fit and well.

The centre also advises landowners on land management for owls and the provision of owl nesting boxes. In 2002 the centre won the coveted BBC Animal Award.

All information taken from The Screech Owl Sanctuary Website