For those of you following the organic journey like ourselves,and making a conscious decision to consume and purchase organic products,we would like to share an update and a bit of trivia with you,to encourage you to keep your eyes and ears open as to how your decisions to support organic farming and production methods are helping to protect unseen or unnoticed species with whom we share this planet. Here's looking at you kid!
The Barn Owl or "An Scréachóg Reilige"
The Barn Owl is known in the Irish language as "An Scréachóg Reilige" and its population has been declining in recent years. In our own province of Ulster on the island of Ireland Absolute Organic Wine Limited are taking steps to help protect the species through sponsorship.
Currently chemicals used by many humans to kill "pests" like mice and rats, are then transferring into the ecosystem surrounding those rodents and other small animals of prey for the Scréachóg Reilige/ Barn Owl and its main food source is being poisoned. To highlight this issue we have adopted and sponsored a Barn Owl/ Scréachóg Reilige with Ulster Wildlife. We took the decision to sponsor to bring awareness to customers of Absolute Organic Wine Limited of how all our combined decisions, efforts and philosophy to avoid the unnecessary use of chemicals in general can bring hope and rescue to nature and its inhabitants with whom we all interact; However, it is not just the use of chemicals that has reduced habitats for the Scréachóg Reilige/Barn Owl as the lack of old derelict buildings and barns has also impacting the living quarters of this species of Owl,and on that we are also trying to help by making areas more inviting for them to feel safe on our own estate which we have set aside for re-wilding.
https://www.ulsterwildlife.org/barn-owls
The Trivia: To Prey V To Pray!
It is the sound of the "Scréachóg Reilige" / Barn Owl that gave rise to the concept and legend of the Irish Banshee! ( Banshee being a female fairy that is heard crying/screeching a warning of an impending death). The Barn Owl is known in the Irish language as the "Graveyard Screamer" ( "Scréachóg Reilige" ) due the unusual sound it makes for an owl- totally different from the "hooting" of other owls ( Example from YouTube below)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGjoknxwbtw
Ulster Wildlife have advised that the name given to the Owl that Absolute Organic Wine has sponsored is "Oliver", so if you are ever on the shores of Lough Neagh ( the largest fresh water lake on both the islands of Ireland and Britain) we would like you to keep an eye out for "Oliver" and his friends & families, and to thank you all also for the support in making the sponsorship possible,
We hope you continue the important journey of being vigilant to the use of chemicals in your own surroundings. As a vegan focused company we do reflect on how other species do not have the liberty to "choose" food sources, and where the instinct to hunt is about survival; nonetheless, the organic focus of our business at Absolute Organic Wine Limited does make a difference to the environment, and we can all take steps and decisions to help other species; this is the journey which matters the most, and you can taste that connection and rewards when the quality and benefits also come shining through in your glass. Share and be Aware!
Works Cited
“Barn Owls.” Ulster Wildlife, https://www.ulsterwildlife.org/barn-owls.
“Barn Owl - Calling.” YouTube, YouTube, 12 Apr. 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGjoknxwbtw.