A North Somerset conservation group has received a special birthday present – the arrival of baby barn owls.

Yatton and Congresbury Wildlife Action Group (YACWAG), which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, owns four nature reserves in Yatton and five on Congresbury Moor.

Despite a national picture of decline and failed breeding this year, the barn owls at YACWAG's reserves have produced eight young from two pairs of breeding adults.

The work to cultivate and improve the nature reserves has been carried out in partnership with Chris Sperring MBE of the Hawk and Owl Trust.

The grass is allowed to grow long enough to encourage short-tailed field voles and other small mammals to breed to provide the essential food supplies for barn owls to breed.

The group has installed two nesting boxes on telegraph poles along the Strawberry Line between the two villages and a further two boxes at their reserves. In these four boxes this year, two pairs of kestrels raised between them seven young and one pair of barn owls raised five young.

In fields off Stowey Road, a second pair of barn owls raised a further three chicks.

YACWAG chairman Tony Moulin said: "We are delighted to have brought these wonderful farmland birds back into our area with the help of the Hawk and Owl Trust."