Day time owls!!

[purpledragon2112]

Happy new year all, hope everyone had a fab time.
Anyhow back to business, today at about 1.46(ish)pm, across the road from where I live I heard tawny owls calling, it was the classic too-wit too-woo, so I would assume it was male and female, I couldn't see them but there seemed to be alot of bird activity in the tree over the road ( lots of mad flapping, sudden flying and alarm calling from the blackbirds) so I took it that was where they were.
This owl calling went on for about 5 mins or so then stopped, now i have heard this often, living close to farmland and woodland but never during the day, is this normal, and why would they be calling to eachother during the day?
Sorry it's not more of an interesting question, but it was just something I have never come across before and thought if anyone can help me it would be you guys!
Many thanks
Kate x

[Foz]

I have seen tawny owls out in the day since the snow started.
Maybe the mice are not coming out at night due to the cold weather so the owls have changed thier hunting patterns?
I know they hunt in daytime when they have young, so why not when food is in short supply?

[SheffieldLass]

Tawnys often call in the daytime, particularly from dark coniferous woods. And I do quite often see them flying during the daytime, within those dark woods. In the summer they can be out well before dark, presumably looking for food for their young. I've seen long-eared owls out all day, when they have young to feed.

[Dogghound]

This sort of behaviour is usually seen in autumn when they are establishing a territory. This could be perhaps a later territory formation or the pair are simply reiterating their territory. They are usually nocturnal but like all owls will hunt in the day if food is short, heavy snow can make hunting in open areas hard meaning they hunt into the day (not as common with tawny as they often hunt in more sheltered woodland). Barn owls and short eared owls as has been said are more commonly seen hunting in the day especially short eared. You tend to find more day flying owls here at the end of winter when food (small mammal) populations are at their lowest.