Barn Owl book wanted

KentYeti · #1 (**permalink**) 04-08-2011, 04:03 PM

Anyone who has read my "Elmley Owls Tonight" thread will probably realise I have rather fallen in love with Barn Owls.

I'd like to research them a bit and have already started GOOGLING for book titles.

I'm after a book that has studied their behaviours and life style in the UK in some detail.

Any suggestions please?

JeffH · #2 (**permalink**) 04-08-2011, 05:02 PM

May I suggest 'Barn Owls' by Iain Taylor, published by Cambridge University Press ISBN 0 521 39290 X (hardback) or 0 521 54587 (paperback)

Jeff
(Schedule 1 Licence holder for Barn Owls, Kingfishers and Avocets)

solus · #3 (**permalink**) 04-08-2011, 05:32 PM

The Poyser monograph - The Barn Owl by D.S. Bunn, A. B. Warburton and R. D. S. Wilson. Pub. 1982 with what appears to be a new print from Sept. 2010
Available from Amazon among others. There's a "Look Inside" facility on the Amazon website so you'll at least be able to see if it's what you want or not before you take out a mortgage!

Original edition probably also available sometimes on a famous interweb auction site.

Edit: Just checked and there are two on there right now.

KentYeti · #4 (**permalink**) 04-08-2011, 08:03 PM

Many thanks indeed guys.

The good news is that I had a Waterstones gift card so I have ordered two Barn Owl books from them, including that suggested by Jeff. At zero cost to myself!

The other news is that Amazon now only have one copy of the Poysner Monograph left!

I used the Look Inside facility, and it looks like it contains the full detail I really do want. Even down to how the hen keeps the nest clean after the chicks hatch and start eating. I probably won't read that chapter before Tea! LOL!

An expensive book. But these birds really fascinate me and have done since I saw my first one in late winter this year. And with the remaining Juvenile/s about to leave the nesting box at Elmley, (or so I think), there is going to be quite a gap in my life until I can find somewhere else to observe and photograph this quite wonderful bird. It will also help me write correctly when I put my own observations with my very modest photos on the web page I will be doing for the Elmley Owls soon.

Thanks again guys. Your help much appreciated.

Bryan

mbaldw · #5 (**permalink**) 04-08-2011, 08:51 PM

I share your fascination for these birds, Bryan; even more so since I saw my first wild Barn owl earlier this year (in Kent, as it happens). So, on top of the excellent books already recommended by Jeff and solus, I would also suggest checking out some of Alexandre Roulin's publications on Barn owls. He has published extensively on Barn owl biology in the scientific literature and wrote the BWP Update on the species in 2002. You can download most of his papers from his website (note the BWP Update is a large, 30mb, file - interesting given that it's not a great scan). Not books, I know, but worth a look.

Cheers,
Marc.

KentYeti · #6 (**permalink**) 09-08-2011, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by solus

The Poyser monograph - The Barn Owl by D.S. Bunn, A. B. Warburton and R. D. S. Wilson. Pub. 1982 with what appears to be a new print from Sept. 2010
Available from Amazon among others. There's a "Look Inside" facility on the Amazon website so you'll at least be able to see if it's what you want or not before you take out a mortgage!

Original edition probably also available sometimes on a famous interweb auction site.

Edit: Just checked and there are two on there right now.

Just arrived, and not good news...I just looked at the back cover! A long list of presumably similar books.

A glance tells me it is exactly what I want, so I've got some great bed time reading in front of me.

The book JeffH suggested should be here tomorrow.

Thanks guys,

Bryan

KentYeti · #7 (**permalink**) 02-10-2011, 11:27 AM

The Owl books suggested here are all superb and wonderful reading .

The Poyser Monograph being quite outstanding.

Using Sunnydale's advice I searched Amazon and have a couple of very good condition second hand Owl books on the way at present. One for just 1p plus postage! The other for not much more. Have to see how that works out.

Could be a good way of getting books that may not end up interesting me: if they are not what I want I can always donate them to the local Mind Charity Shop.

Cheers,

Bryan

KentYeti · #8 (**permalink**) 10-10-2011, 04:07 PM

Paying 1p plus P&P via Amazon for an excellent Eric Hoskins Book on Owls in very good condition including unmarked dust jacket has proved rather good value.

Cheers,

Bryan