Having a shrieking, ghostly white figure fly nearby in the dark of night is enough to make one run in fear, but maybe it’s not all bad - it could just be a wild night hag.

With their heart-shaped faces, graceful flying ability and docile characters, it seems that barn owls have been given a rather cruel Manx name - caillagh oie - which means ’night hag’, writes Jess Ward.

The truth is you’d be lucky to spot one of the silent flyers outdoors as there are thought to be just 10 to 12 pairs of the reintroduced species.

However, the Manx BirdLife’s Isle of Man Barn Owl Project has made it so you can view a family of barn owls from the comforts of home through a live camera feed.

Directing the project is Adam Denard who organised the nest box feed with Mike Howland providing technical support, Sure IOM sponsoring the 4G connection and the landowners giving their permission.

Looking at the Owl-Cam now you’ll find three chicks inside with one ready to leave the nestbox any day.

Their parents, who have lived in the box since it was first set up, have given them some space.

’People don’t realise we have barn owls here. The Owl-Cam is more of an educational tool than a conservational one. We’ve used it in a lot of school assemblies where we have the live feed in the background,’ Adam said.

’As people get increasingly disconnected from wildlife the live feed is a good way to get people interested in it.

’The owls were reintroduced to the island about 40 years ago. They were considered to be extinct in the wild and so a government incentive released some. We don’t know the full total.’

Within two weeks of the nest box being fitted in December 2017, the live stream stars had moved in.

Last year six eggs were laid with three young owls successfully fledged.

He explained that barn owls mate for life, but will take up another partner if one dies.

The males, who tend to be whiter in appearance, can have two females in separate nests.

Unfortunately the birds are greatly affected by the island’s wet climate as their feathers can become waterlogged.

Adam said: ’In the winter they have the odds stacked against them.’

Based on personal observation, he believes barn owls are more nocturnal here compared to their UK counterparts who can hunt day-active voles.

Rodenticide also poses a problem as barn owls in the UK have been found dead after the toxins from the poisoned vermin they’ve eaten built up in their systems. Evidence of this in the island hasn’t been found as yet.

To ’improve the fortunes’ of the island’s population, the team is calling the public for help. ’It’s about citizen science. There’s a lot of stuff going unreported and it doesn’t get onto our official data site. Having people submit their sighting helps us to locate the birds,’ said Adam.

Mike, who has a live feed of a blue tit nest box at home, added: ’We cannot be everywhere all the time.

’I do think an interest in protecting wildlife is coming back.

’Greta Thunberg has sparked a movement in the younger generation.’

Adam, who has previously carried out professional surveys on barn owls in Lincolnshire, said: ’I think barn owls are quite a good species to talk about, they’re enigmatic and help to discuss wider issues.

’Their facial disc gives them more of a human face, so people connect to them and they seem to have become a very popular bird.’

For more details search: manxbirdlife.im/manx-birds/barn-owl-project/