After 18 years here at Fotherdale, Bomber the male tawny owl Bomber has disappeared. Named for his aggressive nature, this tawny owl dominated the territory. But my cameras also revealed a softer side. Father to around 30 chicks of his own and foster father to countless more rescue chicks, he proved a protective and caring owl dad.
Fostering owlets
Tawny owl Bomber has left a lasting legacy. Best known for his considerable role in my owl rehabilitation work, he was a key part of my owl rehabilitation project. Each year, alongside his partner, this seasoned owl parent would take rescue chicks under his wings and raise them as his own. The foster scheme offered these young owlets the best chance of surviving in the wild, and, to help, I provided extra food.
Since introducing live cameras into his nest, we've watched the tender behaviour of this owl as he raised 12 of his own chicks and 25 fosters - but he was raising both long before these cameras started rolling.
Bomber's early days
I first photographed this handsome owl back in 2008 and filmed him in 2014 feeding two rescued owlets and again in 2015 when he had to tawny owls chicks of his own. That year he also took on a whopping 10 foster chicks. Thankfully tawny owls can't count! But it was in 2017, when I started to record his story, he fostered a rescued owlet who would go on to share his life for six tender years.
Tawny pair face loss
Luna re-entered Bomber’s life as an adult owl in 2019. But their time together was marred by frequent egg failures. In their first year together just one of their three eggs hatched and in 2021 and 2022 their eggs failed altogether. But between these losses there were also successes years and in 2020, the pair had four chicks off camera. This was also the first year of fostering for this pair.
Fostering wild chicks
Although I knew Bomber had raised foster owlets before, I wasn't sure if Luna would join him in his role as Fotherdale's chief tawny owl rehabilitator. But when two rescue chicks were handed in, I placed them in Beech Stump, a nest the pair had used before and the owls took Eric & Ernie under their wings as if they were their own. After they had fledged, I placed four more rescue owlets into this nest and Bomber proved the best provider.
Shortly after their eggs failed in 2022, I placed two foster chicks in their nest and filmed the moment Luna rushed in to wrap her wings around her new fosters. The moment melted hearts around the world. That year the pair went on to raise a further six rescue owlets, with Bomber, who by then was 15 years old, taking on the job of feeding them in the trees surrounding their nest until they were ready to begin their lives as independent owls.
Long wait for chicks
When Luna laid again in 2023, I worried whether Bomber was still fertile. The average life expectancy of a wild tawny owl is four years, and this male owl was around 16. After their chequered history, the long, 30 days of Luna's incubation was hard to watch. And when two healthy chicks emerged, it was a relief to watch Bomber tenderly greet them. The pair went on to have another three chicks in 2024, continuing to take in foster chicks alongside their own. And 2025 turned out to be one of the now 18-year-old owl's busiest years as he raised three of his own chicks and nine rescue chicks.
Bomber disappears
Bomber disappeared in August 2025. We will never know exactly what happened but when he didn't return after three months I began to suspect he was gone for good. Then when I heard Luna call out for him, and saw a new male respond instead, I knew he was gone - Bomber would not have tolerated a competitor!
Hopefully this new owl will step into his role here at Fotherdale
