My first wild owl, by Chris aged 35 & 3/4

[rainmaker]

That's a bit embarassing really, innit?! Seen owls before, just never a wild one.

I work in a fairly rural area, and regularly see a mistle thrush, blackbirds, a variety of tits, etc., and today they were ALL going bonkers - the thrush was dragging it's beak down a blackboard, the blackbirds were screeching, the tits were hopping, all around one tree. Thought it may have been a sparrow hawk at first, only to eventualy see a large tawny owl sat amongst the ivy looking very non-plussed at all the noise and thunder flapping around its head. Or maybe it's just as hard as nails

Absolutely beautiful budgie, I'll be armed with camera tomorrow

[mh68]

Nice find rainmaker.Owls are never easy species to find, bet you see them all the time now youve broken your duck
Good luck getting a pic...

Mark H

[Brocker]

here endeth your first lesson..... Always have your camera close by as you just do not know what will present itself.
Congrats on what must have been a lovely experience

[rainmaker]

Originally Posted by Brocker

here endeth your first lesson..... Always have your camera close by as you just do not know what will present itself.
Congrats on what must have been a lovely experience

Aye, I had to go on the motorbike today, as the misuse needed the car (she gets the entire blame ), hence no bins or camera.

It would have been great too - it just sat there for about 4 hours, and barely even opened its eyes for a gander when I clambered onto the roof.....

[Brocker]

Bare in mind, owls, especially tawneys and barn are territorial birds. Tawneys tend to hunt over about a patch of about 3 miles square so there is a likelyhood of you seeing it again if you keep a keen eye......and your camera handy

[big ears]

my first owl was a barn owl and it was late in the morning at the side ov the road when my car lights hit it it was very ghostly looking it made me gasp. this web site is very good i thought i was the only person in the world to get excited about owls and wildlife in general. does anybody know what breed ov birds are the oldest as in evolutionary terms if yous know what i mean i have a therory about a legend i will tell if my hunch is correct.

[rainmaker]

Originally Posted by big ears

does anybody know what breed ov birds are the oldest as in evolutionary terms if yous know what i mean i have a therory about a legend i will tell if my hunch is correct.

Go ahead then, the suspenders are killing me

[The Black Rabbit]

Not embarrassing at all admitting you've just seen your first owl. Many people will hear 'em, but nevvvvvver see 'em. No sir.

Here's an interesting thing about owls...
Take away all their fluffy feathers (I'm not actually suggesting anyone does this, of course), but should an owls feathers all fall off, you would be left with 2 huge eyeballs in the skeleton the size of a broad bean, and not much else...

OK. I'm exaggerating a wee bit, but it IS true to say that "an awful lot of owl is just feathers" (for a load of reasons) and their skeletons and skulls in particular are MUCH, much smaller than one would expect from looking at them fully clothed, so to speak.

Now then, whats this legend all about?

Cheers
Doug (36 and 3/4!)

[big ears]

has anybody heard ov the moth man stories from north west america? i saw a north canadian owl on the T.V a few weeks ago and it was flying straight towards the camera and i think it looks like a mans face, my brother in law showed me a video ov a tawny owl and i think it also looks like a man (a small one though lol) is it possible that the moth man stories is a large not yet known species ov owl? please feel free to ask any questions about it for i think i have all the answers, my mate and i have been through a lot ov heated debates about it and am sure there is someone who will agree with me on this site


P.S i know how to spell OF i just do it the other way to be different

[Lance Morgan]

Yes I've heard of it and seen the film. Its right up there with Bigfoot and the Yeti. I like owls too.