THE precious first moments of a newly hatched barn owl chick were caught live on camera.

The Dorset Wildlife Trust’s live webcam stream caught the magical moments at the Lorton Meadows Nature Reserve in Weymouth.

The moment was streamed live on the Trust’s website through their wildlife webcam.

Dorset Wildlife Trust’s Communications Officer Sally Welbourn said: “We are so delighted to welcome a new barn owl family to the Lorton Meadows nest box.

“After the tragedy of losing the female last year, we are hoping for a successful year for this new couple.

“Barn owls are in decline nationally, which is in part caused by low food availability, due to loss of habitat.

“Luckily, they have access to the habitat-rich nature reserve at Lorton Meadows which has 75 hectares of hay meadows, mature hedgerows and woodland – all holding the small mammals that barn owls hunt, such as mice, voles and shrews.”

Viewers were able to watch the barn owl hatch live through the webcam stream on Dorset Wildlife Trust’s website on Saturday.

One viewer, Lynda Farringdon, said: “Saw the egg shell last night and thought, oh no, clumsy mum has smashed an egg – not dreaming, she has hatched a chick! Lovely surprise to see them this morning.”

The wildlife webcam is sponsored by PFM Associates this year.

A spokesman said: “We advise on all areas of financial planning from life assurance, helping to arrange a mortgage, saving for a ‘nest egg’, to retirement planning and specialist investment advice.

“We are ‘eggs-tremely’ ‘egg-cited’ to be able to help Dorset Wildlife Trust support and raise awareness of our amazing local wildlife, in particular this young family of barn owls.”

The Dorset Wildlife Trust was founded in 1961 as a charity focused on nature conservation.

It is one of 46 such Wildlife Trusts working across the UK.

The live stream of the barn owls can be seen at www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlifewebcam.