THREE dedicated bird volunteers have discovered two barn owl chicks at Elmstead Market Wood.

Simon Cox, Pat Cox and Dave Dutton have been with the Woodland Trust for many years monitoring bird boxes.

The chicks are said to be 33 and 35 days old according to measurements and the volunteers’ expert knowledge concluded the male parent was born last year and the female was two years old.

Hollie Anderson, of the Woodland Trust, said: “Volunteers have regularly helped us at Elmstead Market Wood, applying their skills to give us a better understanding of the wildlife that calls the wood home.

“We’re lucky that Simon and Dave have a Schedule 1 licence so they can ring the birds we find and learn more about them as time goes on. It’s been great to see pictures of the birds, and learn that they are healthy and thriving.”