OWLS - UK The Winter that Would not Stop
- 14 Jul 06, 11:58 AM
UK owl guru Chris Sperring has been watching and monitoring owl populations in Britain for decades and he's surprised by what appears to be "a disasterous year for most UK owl species". More on owls next week.
Chris is going to report for PEuT
Chris blames the winter just past - "the winter ... (he said) that would not stop". "It was so cold and so dry - if there was six feet of snow that would have been better". So, why does this bother owls? Chris thinks the recent cold and dry winter in Britain hammered voles and wood mice, the food of owls. Is this a climate change story or just a seasonal blip? Perhaps something completely different - but it looks like the pattern is repeated in Sweden - owl-heaven I'm told. Chris for his own series (Owl Prowl) and PEuT is going to Sweden for us to scope more. More owls on Monday, look out.
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I cannot claim to have done a proper survey. I live in Devon and have always heard tawny owls at night - except this year, it has been some weeks (maybe months) since I last heard them. I can usually see a barn owl around dusk about once per fortnight (the end of our garden seems to be on the hunting route)I cannot remember having seen one this year
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Sue.
Thanks for your response.
I think your contribution is very important, does not matter if yours is not a proper survey, your comments and observations are based on your local knowledge and that if something is missing or plentyful, then your best placed to report that.
With regard to your mention of barn owl, I have just finished monitoring one small area of Somerset that last year produced 23 owlets, this year only 5. Lets hope for good mild winter backed up by nice spring in 2007.
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I live in the Midlands, only a few hundred yards from the New National Forest Centre at "Conkers" in North West Leicestershire. For some time now the Tawny Owls that were always present have been absent, however during the last couple of weeks there seems to be several which have returned which is great. Whilst out with my dogs this morning, I noticed a large Owl perched on a fence post in a field, I have checked in my reference book and it apears to be a Short-Eared Owl. We used to regularly have Little-Owls at the bottom of my garden which haven't been seen for a while, but this is the first time I have seen what appears to be a Short-Eared Owl.
I don't know if this is of any interest, but I thought it worth a mention.
Robert Baker
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I recently moved from Manchester City Centre to a greener place called Holcombe Brook near Bury. At the bottom of the garden an owl sits at the top of a telegaph pole screeching like a banshee. I thought owls twit twooed. Any idea what type of owl it could be?
Simon Timperley
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thanx a lot the info has come in handy for my homework which is due on fri (20th Oct 2006)
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