Ollie, Ollie, Ollie

Fake 'bird-scaring' owl becomes home for family of swallows

When migrating swallows turned her house and barn into a home from home, Vivien Reynolds thought she had hit upon the ideal deterrent. She placed a model of a giant eagle owl high up in the barn, hoping the plastic predator's golden eyes and sharp talons would scare off the birds. Sadly, the swallows had other ideas. After two days eyeing up Ollie, the fake 3ft owl, a pair of the birds settled on its head. They then built a nest out of mud and twigs - where they are now raising a family of five hungry chicks.