Last updated on 12 April 2026
Did you know barn owls have one ear higher than the other? We didn’t either – until Elliot Newton from Citizen Zoo shared this and other fascinating facts with us on 8th April. Their uneven ears help them pinpoint the exact location of sounds, even in total darkness, while their heart‑shaped face works like a satellite dish, channelling sound straight to those hidden ear openings.
Elliot was speaking at the celebration event marking the culmination of a community project that CDRA was proud to help deliver. It was the handover of three new barn owl boxes to Citizen Zoo made by volunteers at the Men’s Shed in Chessington. The boxes, presented by the Deputy Mayor of Kingston, local councillor Sue Ansari, will soon be installed high in the ancient oak trees at Tolworth Court Farm Fields, off Jubilee Way.
The project was brought together by Rob Robb, a CDRA committee member, whose creativity and resourcefulness linked the Men’s Shed at the King’s Centre whose volunteers made the boxex with Champion Timber at Malden Rushett who supplied the materials, and Citizen Zoo, who oversee Tolworth Court Farm Fields.
At the handover, the Deputy Mayor praised the reserve as “an inspiring resource for the whole borough we can all be proud of, where nature can survive and thrive.” The Deputy Mayor said she hoped to see visitor numbers grow – especially local schoolchildren, who will be able to learn first‑hand about the rich variety of flora and fauna living alongside them, and why protecting these species matters.
To conclude Deputy Mayor Sue Ansari said: “These boxes represent the very best of community spirit – local people, local organisations and local businesses coming together to support our natural environment.”
More barn owl facts
Elliot described Tolworth Court Farm Fields as one of London’s most inspiring wildlife sites. He also shared that barn owls live on every continent except Antarctica, and that an owl’s eye colour tends to correlate with when an owl usually hunts. For example, a barn owl has dark brown or black eyes and is typically nocturnal. They don’t hoot – instead, they produce a long, eerie screech and fly in complete silence.
Currently, the closest barn owls to Chessington live in Home Park across the river by Kingston. Let’s hope these new boxes will soon tempt a pair to make their home right here in our neighbourhood.
Thank you
This project would not have been possible without the enthusiasm and support of the following people:
Men’s Shed volunteers led by Bobby Hitchcock and including Paul Reisinger, Robin Rivers and Bob Robinson.
Champion Timber’s Managing Director Philip Champion and Sales Director, Terry McDermott.
Citizen Zoo’s Director, Elliot Newton.
Tolworth Court Farm Fields Local Nature Reserve
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