Christmas came early for Co Down nature conservators with late brood of owls

Four barn owl chicks defied the odds this winter as the latest recorded brood in Northern Ireland to date (Handout/PA)

Christmas came early for a group of conservationists in Co Down thanks to an extremely late winter brood of barn owls.

The discovery of four chicks in November – one of the latest recorded in Northern Ireland to date – surprised and shocked conservationists from Ulster Wildlife, who inspected the nest site at Ballycruttle Farm under licence from Northern Ireland Environment Agency.