Bird Noises! HELP!

[Weakerthan]

Hey

Every few months a wonderful bird of some kind returns to the trees behind my house, for a few nights. My neighbours cut half the trees down at the end of last year and I thought it would never return but last night I heard it in the distance. TONIGHT IT IS IN THE TREE AND THERE IS ANOTHER ONE IN THE DISTANCE AND THEY ARE CALLING TO EACH OTHER! It is awesome!

It starts about midnight and goes on for about an hour then it usually flies off. When it departs it sounds quite big but it goes off behind the tree so I can never see it.

I remember seeing it on my neighbours roof one time though and I shone a light to try and see it but scared it off, it looked of reasonable size, like bigger than a huge raven or something. Sorry I don't know much about birds.

I JUST REALLY WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT IS!

I managed to make the following recording on my iPhone tonight, I was hanging out of my window to try and get it as clear as possible without alerting the bird. Having listened back you can even hear the other one at some point.

Please have a listen and let me know if you can tell what it is.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7152704/Bird%20Noise.m4a

[tcvarlh]

Tawny Owl Strix aluco
You can hear all the GB owls voices on this link :
The RSPB: Birds by family: Owls
Just click on the bird name and then the PLAY button
Have Fun!
h

welcome to WAB

[Wild-Woman]

Indeed tawny owl.

[Weakerthan]

Yeah that definitely sounds right. That's amazing. Owls outside my house.

Now, can the fact that the trees are regularly used by a Tawny Owl be used to stop them cutting down the trees any more? They cut them to about half their height, we've lost some regulars from the bird table and the squirrels (I know these are counted as vermin but squirrels are awesome).

I'm worried they plan on cutting them even more.

[tcvarlh]

Originally Posted by Weakerthan

Yeah that definitely sounds right. That's amazing. Owls outside my house.

Now, can the fact that the trees are regularly used by a Tawny Owl be used to stop them cutting down the trees any more? They cut them to about half their height, we've lost some regulars from the bird table and the squirrels (I know these are counted as vermin but squirrels are awesome).

I'm worried they plan on cutting them even more.

I'd re-post the question in a new thread as WAB has folks with the answers, environmentalists, council people. Such people would be the ones to ask. I assume they Tawny is protected here in the UK but I don't know GB Law, back home I would give an unqualified YES.
h

[Dogghound]

Unfortunately the fact that Tawny Owls use a tree is not sufficient to protect the tree. The only way a tree would be protected in this respect is if tawny owls were nesting within it. When they have finished nesting the tree could then be cut down. They are a common specie and are themselves protected but not so much their habitat. It sounds like they are pollarding the trees so they will regenerate. Providing that you have some trees you will get tawny owls, they can live in quite open locations.

[Wild-Woman]

What sort of tree is it, only some trees eg oak have preservation orders on them. They can't be cut down willy nilly.

[Tursiops2]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

What sort of tree is it, only some trees eg oak have preservation orders on them. They can't be cut down willy nilly.

Any species of tree can be subject to a Tree Preservation Order, provided it is deemed to have sufficient "amenity" value.

It may be possible to get your Local Authority to place a TPO on these trees, depending on the circumstances. More info here: Tree Preservation Orders: A Guide to the Law and Good Practice - Planning, building and the environment - Department for Communities and Local Government
T2

[Weakerthan]

Thanks for all the advice. I've established it was 2 males calling. Was pretty cool. Hopefully they revisit soon.

The trees are Leylandii which I've heard can actually be quite a problem to maintain. They are not near any property but they blocked a bit of sun from my neighbours yard. They were as tall as my 2 storey house but they have been cut down to about half height.

I kind of like all things wildlife so I hate seeing trees cut down, especially when it results in loss of things visiting my garden. I think of trees as like hang out spots for animals and people should think of what they mean to animals before destroying them. How would they like it if I knocked down half the local pub?

[tcvarlh]

There y' go told you, a bit Biblical this site, 'seek and ye shall find, ask and it shall be given unto you'.

h