short eared owl

thebeard · #1 (**permalink**) 18-01-2010, 09:53 PM

i think i heard one of these today, was a mix of a low 'ooo-ooo-ooo' and occassional whines. had no idea when i heard it, but upon getting home i think i'm correct. it was in woodland though, but the wood is next to farmland/floodplains, would it be one in the woods?

Ferret · #2 (**permalink**) 19-01-2010, 01:32 AM

Short-eared Owls Asio flammeus are normally birds of wide open spaces the closest they normally get to woodland is during the breeding season when they sometimes breed (on the ground) in large areas of recently planted conifers. The call and habitat you describe sounds much more like Long-eared owl Asio otus although I don’t think this is normally heard during the day, may be at dusk though. According to BWPi they can start visiting there breeding area in January and the male’s call is described in BWPi as:-

“Advertising-call of ♂. A slow, evenly-spaced series of long-drawn, low cooing 'ōō' or 'hu' sounds, quiet but penetrating, and audible up to 1 km or more”

Hope that helps

Ferret

p.s. if you think it is Long-eared Owl setting up a territory let the local bird recorder know and keep the exact location to people you can trust, we had a nest near us a faw years ago that became generally known about and the eggs where lost, we strongly suspect to an egg collector.

thebeard · #3 (**permalink**) 19-01-2010, 08:41 AM

i've had a listen to the long eared owl and it doesn't seem quite right. i'll pop down again at the weekend and have another listen, and try to get a recording.

cheers
tom

Melus · #4 (**permalink**) 19-01-2010, 08:55 AM

Not sure where abouts you heard the possible Short Eared Owl but one was photographed by Trev Pendleton at Eakring Flash on 2nd January.
Eakring Birds
I also saw one quartering a hedgerow near to the White Post back in December 2008.

thebeard · #5 (**permalink**) 19-01-2010, 03:49 PM

it was the area between the trent and clifton hall/woods, just over the river from attenborough, if you know it. there seem to be sightings of these around notts every now and then, and they pop up all over the place.

kevbirder · #6 (**permalink**) 19-01-2010, 04:57 PM

I presume you have ruled out other more common birds that might sound like this, for instance Collared Dove?

thebeard · #7 (**permalink**) 19-01-2010, 07:31 PM

yep definately not a dove. i stood an listened for a while and it certainly sounded like a bird of prey from the 'whining' sound, and then i heard the 'hoots'. heard very clearly so doubt it'd be any of the commoner ones

bigdave60dog · #8 (**permalink**) 19-01-2010, 07:57 PM

Dusk till dawn Dog Foxes Bark "bow-wow-wow" repeated as the fox moves around. they have loads of other calls as well.
Where I live we get long and short eared owls all of the time in winter- a long eared regularly comes after rats in my garden- Long eared owls do call three short, "ows" as alarm, but not a low call.
Short eared owls as someone says do not fly well in woods.
Would help is we knew the time of day.

thebeard · #9 (**permalink**) 19-01-2010, 10:45 PM

it was about 12.30pm, it was on the edge of an embankment covered with trees next to the river/farmland, so not entirely in the woods. mmmm i just don't know, i'll see if i can find it again next time i go, maybe even see it

Melus · #10 (**permalink**) 20-01-2010, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thebeard

it was the area between the trent and clifton hall/woods, just over the river from attenborough, if you know it. there seem to be sightings of these around notts every now and then, and they pop up all over the place.

I know the area well. As a young city lad (40yrs years ago) I used to frequent that area with my mates. The area used to have some magnificent Elm trees which are sadly no longer there.

Sorry I'm going off thread.
SEO's can turn up anywhere and I'm sure with Attenborough just over the river and with all the farmland in the area there would be a good chance of finding one. Good Luck.