short eared owls

[Acipiter]

I had a good morning birding this morning, there was a good showing of raptors buzzards, red kites, kestrel, and sparrowhawks. also a s/e/owl. I have seen a couple of these always in the same place, every year for the last three years now. Does anyone know, are these likely to be the same two, and how long have s/e/owls been coming to Hertfordshire, is it like buzzards just a few years or has it been many years, I must say I have never notice them until recently.

[aeshna5]

Unlike the Buzzards the Short-eared Owls won't be residents in Herts but a combination of passage birds moving through + wintering individuals. Numbers do vary year from year + this has been a good autumn for seeing them.

It's certainly possible it could be the same bird but equally if the habitat is good it may be a new individual exploiting quality habitat.

Sounds like you had a great day!

[Acipiter]

It was good morning, large amount of fieldfair and a good amount of goldfinch too. Not to mention a nice number of yellowhammer. There was one redwing on his own very close to us in the bushes, what was up with him I could not work out, but he seemed reluctant to fly for some reason. I was trying to watch the owl hunting, but the wind was bringing tears to my eyes, and I had to give up in the end. But all in all a nice winters morning.