Help please. I want to photo a wild Tawny Owl!

[KentYeti]

I need to take a photo of a wild Tawny Owl. Hopefully within a medium distance of mid Kent where I live.

After less than six months since I started bird photography I've got enough material to start building a bird website with my modest results.

Like all my sites it will be strictly non commercial and and aimed just to give me a pleasing way to look at the piccies I take. Plus the chance to share my rather persistent and obsessive photographic style with others.

I've got a lovely Avocet story to tell, and also one about the Sheppey/Elmley Owls.

So I'm starting with an Owl page. The story so far regarding my efforts with those lovely birds.

My web sites are, err, rather basic designs. I'm still only just about able to turn the darned PC on! And at present I'm trying to sort out a design for the Index page of the Owl web page. Probably have to add the links under the photo to make sure it shows ok on differing browsers.

But there's an owl missing!

Can anyone help. i.e know where a Tawny Owl regularly roosts where some sort of photo can be taken?

I've been prompted by Hedgehog's tales of the eerie waling noise from "his" Tawny Owls. Maybe someone nearer knows of a similar roosting spot?



I know there are other UK Owls, but I'm sticking to the more common ones for the present. Not ready to become a twitching Yeti. Yet!

Oh. My Bird website URL?

KentYeti.co.uk of course! Nothing there at present.

[The Woodman]

You've got to get out and find them. It's become a little game every time I'm in the woods to find a day roosting Tawny. They like a secure roost and usually have a number of roosts in their territories. Yew trees can be productive, usually the owl will be pressed up against the vertical trunk, roosting on a near horizontal branch, sometimes two owls together. The Oak in the background of your compilation with its hole would be a good place to look if those pesky Barn owls hadn't got there first!

There's a roost in a small Eucalyptus planting in the village where I can go to get a pellet or two when I need one. These trees are big and not what I'd imagine to be good secure roosting habitat. I think the bark, with its shedding plates, affords good background camouflage.

Ivy covered trunks, holes in larger trunks, splits and other features are worth a look. This is probably stuff you know anyway.

Often, there are no indicators like faecal splashes on the ground.

Also, I have a two piece Roe call, the very small doe in oestrus whistle will when used sparingly at dusk spark a Tawny population "hoot-in" which can be quite entertaining and gives an idea of how many individuals are in a particular wood. I'm staggered sometimes by the number of owls in an area.

Good luck.

[Hedgehoggy]

Originally Posted by KentYeti

I've been prompted by Hedgehog's tales of the eerie waling noise from "his" Tawny Owls. Maybe someone nearer knows of a similar roosting spot?

Moi? Un homme?!! Que vous a donné l'impression que je suis de sexe masculin?

Hope you're successful in your quest to photograph a Tawny owl

[KentYeti]

Originally Posted by Hedgehoggy

Moi? Un homme?!! Que vous a donné l'impression que je suis de sexe masculin?

Hope you're successful in your quest to photograph a Tawny owl

Bitte entschuldigen Sie mich, habe ich nicht, dass Sie eine Dame!

I have been looking in my local woods for some time now. Another good search today. No luck yet.

Have to get myself a hooting whistle to flush them out.

[Hedgehoggy]

Comme vous l'avez si gentiment excusé, vous êtes pardonné!

The Tawnies around here seem to be more active (vocally) after 1am at this time of year, well, that's when they keep me awake anyway!

[KentYeti]

Vielen Dank!

And my Tawny Owl search goes on locally.

[diggleken]

[quote=Hedgehoggy;809665]Comme vous l'avez si gentiment excusé, vous êtes pardonné!

QUOTE]

Hell of a yorkshire dialect that hoggy!
Cheers
Ken

[KentYeti]

Originally Posted by diggleken

Hell of a yorkshire dialect that hoggy!
Cheers
Ken

LOL!

And so far as my Tawny Owl search is concerned. I'm looking to buy an owl whistle as suggested. That will help me confirm that there are some in my local woods.

And I'm using my daily walk in those woods to stop and start gazing up at the mature trees in there. From several angles for each tree. And there are several hundred mature trees there.............

[Acipiter]

All the tawny owls I have found roosting have always been near the very top of the tree, either beech or conifer, not very good for a pic is it. You either have to be very lucky to see one move in the daytime, or just keep looking up every suitable tree. If you keep at it, it will pay off in the end, its just a matter of time. And a good pair of legs.

[Acipiter]

I forgot to mention, you maybe lucky to hear one call in the daytime, and find it that way, April is a good time of year for this. And just a word of warning, never get close to a nesting site, tawny owls are not very friendly I am sure you knew that. Good luck. Alan.